Co-Op Gaming
by Violet Wings
Summary: On his way home from work, Seto gets into a car crash which nearly kills him. While he recovers, he decides to work on he and Mokuba's new science fiction video game which is soon due for release. Worried about his brother's injuries, however, Mokuba asks Anzu to keep him company. As the two team up to test the new game, they find their feelings growing for each other as well.
1. 1 : The Accident

_Since I know people are going to ask, I decided to confiscate the story "Confinement" in place of a better, more reasonable story. The further I got into "Confinement," the more it felt I was writing something that just did not add up. It didn't make sense to have Anzu where she was and Seto where he was. So I scrapped the idea and (hopefully) came up with something much better. I feel better about this story, at any rate, and I hope it reflects in my writing!_

* * *

Chapter 1 : The Accident

Seto couldn't help but smile at the computer screen. Punching in the last few digits, he watched as the computer scanned thousands of lines of code, saving it to several databases. A little _ping_ went off, indicating the process was complete, and he happily turned off the computer monitor and leaned back in his smooth, leather office chair.

It was finished.

He pulled out his cell phone and pressed the speed dial for Mokuba. Holding it to his ear, he didn't bother to wipe the smile from his face. He didn't know if he even could; if his secretary came in right now, he wasn't sure he could hold it together. Not that she was here. It was closing in around ten o' clock at night. He turned around in his chair and saw the night sky, the many stars flickering brightly. He could tell just by looking it was a crisp, spring night.

The line went through. "Hey Big Brother!"

"Mokuba," he answered. "It's done."

"What's done?"

"Our game. I finished patching that one last bug. It should be complete now."

He held the phone away from his ear as his brother shouted, "YAHOOOO! AWW, hellz yes! Finally!"

"We'll still have to beta test it the whole way through," Seto replied, though happy to hear his brother rejoicing..

"I know, I know. But we're practically done! We'll finally be releasing video games!"

Seto chuckled and nodded. "That we will."

"This is so awesome! Ooooh yeah! No more testing Duel Monsters for hours and hours and freakin' hours! Whoo-hooooo!" Seto merely smiled, listening as his brother cheered. Suddenly, Mokuba said, "We should celebrate tonight!"

Seto blinked in surprise. It would be a good night to celebrate. This was the first video game KaibaCorp would be making, but more than that, it was the first project the two brothers worked on together. Seto had been wanting to make video games for years; he knew Duel Monsters wouldn't last forever. But while he was gifted with mechanical and technological prowess, he had no idea what he wanted to make a video game about. There were so many types of video games out there. Action, horror, strategy...which one to make KaibaCorp's debut into the video gaming industry?

Once again, Mokuba came to the rescue. Seto didn't even have to ask his brother. One night, for a homework assignment, Mokuba had to write a plot for a short story. The boy came up with an outline for a sixty-chapter novel detailing a post-apocalyptic Domino City, with the central plot of the novel involving a search for items in order to get rid of the ghosts haunting the city. It won an award at his school, and Seto told him he should turn it into a novel. To his surprise, Mokuba instead asked, "Why don't we make it a video game?"

Two years and a lot of planning, organizing, coding, and cursing later, the final product now sat behind Seto on his computer as well as his enormous flash drive. It was finished. Their video game, once it was beta tested for the last time, could be released to the public. He was proud of himself for having coded the whole damn thing with only a few helpers from time to time, but more than that, he was proud of his younger brother. Mokuba had shown a knack for coming up with ingenious plot twists, and the boy's writing skill had improved significantly. It seemed like a talent was finally coming through that the boy could use in a career, and he could see his brother's eyes light up whenever he was writing. He knew Mokuba never wanted to take over KaibaCorp, and to see him have a passion for something creative made Seto surprisingly happy.

"Seto, you still there?"

Snapping out of his trance, Seto replied, "Yeah, I'm still here. And that sounds good. Are you at the manor?"

"Yeah, just working on schoolwork. We got a big project in English class, and I wanted to get it done before the weekend."

Seto smirked. If Mokuba learned anything from his older brother, it was to have a strong work ethic. The boy did things weeks in advance, yet somehow still always made time to fill his weekends with video games. "Sounds good," he said. "I'll pick up something on the way home that we can eat. Is that okay?"

"Sure, that sounds awesome!"

"What do you want?"

"Um... Let's see. What's around here...?"

Seto scoffed. "You act like we haven't lived here our whole lives. There's the ice cream place. Or I can bring some drinks home, like one of those large hot chocolates you like."

"The ones from Rudia's?! Those are so freakin' good! Oh my God, that sounds sooooo tasty right now!"

Seto smirked. "Okay, so one hot chocolate. Anything else?"

"If you're going to Rudia's, can you get me a cupcake, too?"

Seto quirked an eyebrow. "You want hot chocolate _and_ a cupcake?" For some reason, he didn't think his younger brother needed that much of a chocolate fix.

"Hey, you said we're celebrating, and I choose to celebrate with chocolate!"

Seto chuckled. "Okay, sounds good. I'll be home in about a half hour."

"Awesome! Whoo-hoo, we finished the game!"

Seto smiled as he hung up the phone. _"At least he's a happy camper,"_ he thought as he slid his phone into his pocket. He was surprisingly happy, too, truth be told. He was excited to get away from the Duel Monsters craze and into something new. Standing from his seat, he picked up his white trenchcoat and took out his USB drive from the computer. Putting it into his silver briefcase, he grabbed it off the desk and walked towards the exit of his office, switching the lights off and taking one final look before leaving work. Strolling down the carpeted hallway, he quickly approached the elevator and pressed the Down button. The metal doors slid open, and he stepped inside and pressed the Lobby Button. The flourescent light illuminated the spacious compartment, and he leaned against the metal wall as the doors slid close and the elevator began descending.

_"Now we have to figure out who is going to beta test this game..."_ Seto hated finding beta testers, but it was a necessary evil in his field. It wasn't that he felt beta testers were incompetent (although some were); he was more concerned with keeping his work secret. Beta testers could go to other corporations and tell them what Seto and Mokuba had been working on for the past few years, making a good amount of money in the process. Allowing strangers in was a dangerous process. He wondered if he should just do it himself, but then again, that would probably waste quite a bit of time. He had to worry about other things with the release of this game, after all. Making sure they could make enough copies. Determining market strategies. Posters, advertisements, it all had to be done.

The elevator came to a halt, and Seto watched as the doors opened once more. Grabbing his briefcase, he took a sharp right and exited through one of the hidden back doors which led to KaibaCorp's underground garage. Inside it felt damp and a bit chilly, but he could hear the sounds of downtown even from his position. It was a Friday night; everyone was out.

He approached his motorcycle and deftly tied the briefcase to the back. He didn't normally ride his motorcycle, but he felt good tonight, and whenever he felt good, he had the desire to ride. It was one of the few thrills he took pleasure in. Speeding down freeways with no one knowing it was him thanks to his black helmet and tinted visor, it felt like he could sometimes outride his problems. To make it easier on him, he took his trenchcoat, packed it tightly into a ball, and stuffed it into the compartment underneath his seat. He then straddled the black, leather cushion and clasped on his black helmet. He realized he was all in black, yet he would have his lights on, and just to be sure, he turned on blue lights which illuminated the sides of his motorcycle, making him easier to spot him from a distance. He liked the thrill, but he never left anything to chance. Turning the key in the ignition, which he obtained from his pocket, his heart skipped a beat when the engine revved to life underneath him.

"Time to go celebrate," he thought aloud. Pushing the motorcycle back a bit, he sped through the garage, looked both ways, and soon came out into the street. The flourescent lights of the towering buildings shone down on him, and the sounds of cars and people immediately filled his ears. The wind brushed past him, hitting against his shoulders, making him feel alive. _"Easiest way to get to Rudia's would be to keep heading north, I suppose. Though it'll make for a lengthy trip home."_ Seto would usually mind the task, but it was a momentous occasion this evening, and he wasn't going to let a half hour motorcycle trip ruin it. In fact, the idea of riding for an extended period of time brought a smile to his face.

He continued driving down the street, passing all sorts of shopping centers, movie theaters, and restaurants. The sidewalks seemed to be packed with couples, friends, and families, all spending a night out enjoying the city. Music from the nearby clubs pounded through doors, and he even saw a few fights as he went block after block after block northward. Glancing down at his speedometer, he made sure to slow down a bit before continuing. He didn't want to test himself here in the city.

He soon came to a halt at an intersection and took a look at his surroundings. A large jewelry store stood on the corner to his right, while a McDonalds towered on his left. Across the street, he could see a clothing boutique and a small French cafe. _"Okay, looks like I have two more blocks north, then I can head-"_

A sudden noise caught his attention. Looking up, he glanced around to see the typical line of cars going left and right. The light above still held red for him, and across the intersection, the cars remained still. Turning around in his seat, he looked back. His eyes widened.

A sleek, white car was heading down the street in the middle of the lanes, swerving in and out. The driver was speeding...badly. Whether he was drunk or reckless or just trying to commit suicide, the driver was bumping into all sorts of objects before passing along. People were shouting curses out their windows at him, and Seto heard a few people crying out on the sidewalks. _"Shit!"_ Seto revved the engine, hoping to be able to pull to the side. The car behind him was antsy, too; the driver yelled out the window at him to get out of the way, that the crazy driver behind them would surely hit them if they just stood there. Seto, ignoring the red light, pulled forward a bit and narrowly turned right-

-but it was too late.

He felt the car behind him hit the tail end of his vehicle, sliding him momentarily out of control. He gripped the handlebars tightly and cried out as his motorcycle slid to the ground. He could feel asphalt against his leg. He bashed straight into a parked vehicle, the car which was behind him now sitting out on the street and blocking traffic. A few more cars collided. Seto could hear car horns, alarms, people shouting, but all he could think of was the pain.

The pain in his arm. His torso. Moving down to his leg. He was jammed between two cars. His breath hitched in his throat. He slowly pushed his arms forward and felt a bone snap. He cried out again. It hurt. God, it hurt. Fortunately, someone was already coming to his aid. He watched as a group of people pulled the motorcycle from him. He fell limp to the ground and cried out once more. It was so hard to breathe. "Someone call the police!" a woman shouted. A man seemed to already be doing so, for he had his phone out and was dialing. Another woman rushed over to Seto. "Are you all right?" she asked.

Seto felt his body going numb. His torso felt caved in, and he wondered if it was blood or sweat he felt sliding down his chest. Closing his eyes, he groaned in pain and fell forward. He heard the second woman shout, "Sir, please, stay awake! Someone will be here right away!"

But he couldn't. The pain was too much, and he quickly sank into oblivion.


	2. 2 : Waking Up

_I just wanted to say thank you guys for the support! I know there's been some confusion with my stories, and the fact that you guys put up with my shenanigans means a lot. So thank you so much for the views, reviews, and favorites! Now, on with the story!_

* * *

**Chapter 2 : Waking Up**

_Beep...beep...beep...beep_

He felt like he was hovering over something, as if he was floating mid-air. His breathing was labored...everything was so slow...yet coming back.

_Beep...beep...beep...beep_

He could feel something on his face. He instinctively knew it gave him life. He took in another breath, then another. Another. Feeling was beginning to return to him, to ground him in reality. He was no longer hovering. He was in his body. He attempted to move his hand. He twitched one finger, then the next. Another breath. The beeping noise continued. The third, fourth, fifth finger. Then the whole hand.

He grabbed something.

Another breath. It was soft. Really soft. It felt nice in his hand. He went to grab it with his other hand but found he couldn't. His other hand felt paralyzed, immobile. _"Where...am I?"_ His first thoughts. It felt like he was coming out of a long sleep.

A deep inhale and exhale. That was when he noticed the beeping sound as a continuing process. It wasn't in his own mind. _"What is...that noise?"_ Another deep inhale, then an act of bravery.

He slowly opened his eyes.

He felt warmth and saw it came from a ray of sunlight. A window on his left. A humming in the distance of air conditioning. His eyes began to adjust. A white room, filled with various objects. Machines surrounded him. The beeping noise, he could see now, came from one such machine. One of a few that appeared to be strapped to his chest. And his hand...the one he couldn't move...

It was wrapped in something. A cast. From his fingers all the way to his shoulder. Propped up on a little stand with a sling wrapped around his neck for support. Beyond, he saw a little table with a small vase of flowers.

That's when it hit him. He was in a hospital.

He took in another deep inhale. Placing his free hand on the mask which granted him oxygen, he saw an IV hooked to his hand and sighed. _"How long have I been here?"_ he wondered, his thoughts now coming at a faster pace. He was surely regaining conscious. His vision was clearing as fast as his mind. _"I remember... I remember the car crash. I was hit...slammed into another car. Then...nothing..."_

"Mr. Kaiba?"

It was a male voice, though surprisingly soft. Seto turned to see a nurse standing in the doorway wearing blue scruffs. His long, black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. His eyes widened at the sight of Seto, and he carefully approached the bed, moving some machines out of the way in order to get closer. "Mr. Kaiba, are you awake?"

Seto slowly nodded, letting his hand fall to his side. The nurse blinked and gasped in surprise. "Th-that's great! Really great! How are you feeling, Mr. Kaiba?"

Seto went to respond and blinked when he couldn't. His throat was suddenly too dry. He coughed. It stung.

"Ah, here, hold on a second..." The nurse seemed to understand his plight. He turned and exited through a small doorway, which Seto presumed led to a bathroom. He listened to the sound of a faucet coming to life, of water flowing out. He slowly opened his lips and found them to be extremely dry as well. The water turned off, and nurse came back in with a small cup. Carefully, he removed the oxygen mask. Seto suddenly found it difficult to breathe, though he felt it worth it for the water. The doctor held the cup to his lips and gave Seto that beautiful liquid of life. It did little to quench a growing thirst, but it seemed to restore his throat. His breathing felt somewhat lighter as well, though his chest still felt too tight.

When he finished drinking, the doctor asked, "Do you think you need the oxygen mask?"

Seto didn't say but rather breathed out, "I don't... It hurts..."

The nurse nodded in understanding. "I'll put it back on for now. You were in a serious car crash. The main damage was to your chest. Nothing punctured, surprisingly, but you took some trauma. It's going to hurt for awhile. We're glad to see you awake, though." Patting his arm, the one not in a cast, the nurse said, "My name is Kota. I'll get the head nurse, a Dr. Fukiyama, in here right away. He'll be able to help you more than I can. Okay?"

Seto slowly nodded. The nurse seemed to smile underneath his little mask. "You're going to be all right, Mr. Kaiba. It's good to finally see you awake."

Seto didn't like the _finally_ part. Before he could ask anymore questions, however, the nurse swiftly left the room, leaving him alone. Sighing, Seto glanced out the window, watching as a small hummingbird flew by. The sunlight felt so warm to him. So comforting...

He would have surely fallen back asleep had it not been for the entrance of the doctor. By now, his eyes had closed shut, but upon hearing the door open, he carefully managed to reopen them. Standing at the end of the bed was a big man with short brown hair. His piercing green eyes stared at Seto. In one hand was a clipboard, and his free hand was placed on the railing at the end of the bed. He was wearing a typical white jacket and sleek black pants, with the stethoscope dangling around his neck. A few pens visibly stuck out from his breast pocket.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Kaiba," the doctor greeted. His voice sounded loud to Seto. "I'm Dr. Fukiyama, the head doctor in this sector of the hospital."

"Hi..." Seto managed to sputter back.

The doctor smiled at his response. "It is so good to see you awake. You had us worried there for awhile."

_"Not by choice,"_ Seto thought. His sarcasm was quickly returning, though his body still felt like it was moving in slow-motion. He never realized how deep or how many breaths he took before; now, each one felt like a minor trial, with life being the end reward.

"No doubt you have a lot of questions, but I want to briefly examine your vitals before we sit and talk, if that is okay," the doctor stated. Seto watched as he walked over to the beeping monitor, writing down a few numbers and probably some notes on the side on a sheet of paper attached to his clipboard. He then walked around the bed and examined the IV, doing the same with that. Finally he turned to Seto. "I'm going to examine your chest. Take deep breaths..."

Seto looked at him in confusion when he realized what was going on. Seto was in a patient's outfit. The doctor carefully wrapped his free arm around his shoulders and pulled him up to a sitting position. Seto hissed in pain, and he clutched the doctor's jacket. Closing his eyes, he heard the doctor say, "Focus on your breathing. In and out. In and out."

He didn't know what else to do, so he did just that. In...and out. In...and out. The cold metal of the stethoscope on his back. In... The metal moved from one place to the next. And out. "Okay, now the front," the doctor warned. Seto felt the metal on his chest. It felt like ice moving around the little patches already connecting his chest to the beeping monitors. "Breathe in..." He did so. "And out." He exhaled. "Again." Seto inhaled and exhaled, feeling the metal move haphazardly about.

The doctor finally took it away and carefully laid him back down on the bed. "Well, though it probably felt like you walked through Hell, your vitals are actually pretty good. Considering what you were through." He watched the doctor enter the bathroom, listened as the water ran. Seto wondered if he was getting him another cup of water. Sure enough, he came out with one. Approaching him, Fukiyama asked, "Can you hold this?"

Seto wanted to. He hated the idea of this man giving him water. But when he went to lift his arm, he found it surprisingly weak...and thin. His eyes widened. "H-How...?"

The doctor removed his mask and gave him the water. Seto swallowed it greedily. His mind was clearing up and now...now he wanted answers.

"You have been out for four days," the doctor began, taking away the cup and replacing it with the oxygen mask. He set the empty cup on a nearby table next to the cup the nurse had given him before pulling up a small chair. Seto turned to look at him. "The first day, you were in intensive care. You took some severe trauma to your chest. Breathing is going to hurt you for awhile, I'm afraid. You also broke your arm, hence the cast."

_"No fucking shit,"_ Seto wanted to shout. He peeked over at his arm before returning his gaze to the doctor.

"You look to be aware, though, and your vitals are stable. Very good signs. I firmly believe you'll recover by the end of the week, at least enough to get you out of here. You're going to have to do some physical therapy, however. You didn't break your leg, but some of the muscle was damaged. We'll need you to come in and do some exercises once you're released in order to make sure you're healing properly." Tapping his clipboard, he asked, "Do you remember what happened?"

Seto nodded.

"Tell me."

He wanted to scream at this guy. His voice cracked instead. "I... I was hit by a car. On my motorcycle." His voice sounded _terrible._ "I spun out of control. Was pinned between my bike and another car."

"And you would be dead if you hadn't worn your helmet," the doctor added, smirking at him. "I was so happy when I saw you come in with one. You don't know how many we lose just because they were free-riding without one."

Seto decided it best not to mention that he himself had done that once or twice. Instead, he asked, "You said...I've been here for four...four days?"

Dr. Fukiyama nodded. "That's right, four days. Looks like your memory is holding up. A very positive sign."

_"That's why he's being obvious. He wants to know if I have amnesia."_

"As I said, you were in intensive care the first day. We were worried you'd slip into a coma. But you pulled through. You're very resilient. We managed to move you here the second day, and you've been lying here since."

Seto took in a large inhale and slowly exhaled. Four days... He didn't like the sound of that at all.

"Is there anyone you would like me to notify of your awakening?"

Seto's eyes blinked. "Mokuba..." His eyes widened as he stared at the doctor. "Mokuba... Where is my little brother?"

The doctor glanced down at his watch. "At school, at this time of day. But school lets out in another hour or so. I will give him a call then. You should be able to see him tonight."

The thought of his brother's smile made Seto smile. That, or the morphine. He had to be on some drug if what the doctor said was true. He felt nothing in his legs, and if he needed physical therapy...well, he should be feeling something. Though he couldn't imagine how much his chest would ache if it hurt this much _with_ the drugs.

"In the meantime, I'll go write down your statistics and let you rest," the doctor stated. He stood from his chair and smiled down at Seto. "We're happy to see you back. You had us all worried there, but we're happy to see you're strong."

Seto merely watched as he exited the room. He briefly wondered if Dr. Fukiyama said that to every patient who woke up three days after being in intensive care. _"Whatever..."_ Sinking back into the cushions, he glanced over at the warm sunlight once more. He allowed his eyelids to close.

He inhaled, and exhaled. And fell fast asleep.


	3. 3 : First Steps

**Chapter 3 : The First Steps**

For a split second, Seto Kaiba thought he was going to scream.

Biting down on his lip to suppress the agony, he immediately tasted blood. He had bit too hard. "There, there, Mr. Kaiba," the nurse named Kota said. "Easy there."

When the doctor told him he had screwed up a muscle in his leg, he thought it would be an easy fix, something like a stretched muscle that could just be walked off in time. But upon standing, he realized to his great horror it was worse...much worse.

"Seto, don't push yourself," Mokuba insisted. The younger Kaiba stood in front of his elder brother, wearing a typical dark green shirt and jeans. Seto looked at him and did his best to smile; he didn't want Mokuba worrying about him. But he failed, and his smile immediately crumbled as he finally stood next to the nurse, leaning against him for support. Indeed, Seto needed support now more than ever. He hadn't walked in nearly a week due to being bed-ridden, and this Saturday morning would be his first physical therapy session.

And if getting out of bed hurt this much...

"Okay, Mr. Kaiba, grab onto my shoulder," the nurse instructed. As if Seto needed to be told that. He was gripping the doctor's arm for his life with his free arm. The other arm, still in a cast, hung in the sling around his neck. He looked over at Mokuba once more to see the boy smiling.

Slowly, he smiled back. _"I'll be okay,"_ he wanted to say. Instead, he nodded. Mokuba nodded back.

"Alrighty, let's head to the training room." The nurse slowly, very slowly, took a step forward, and Seto did the same. It reminded him of his breathing. One foot at a time. Then the next. One. Then the other.

And it was only to get to the damn wheelchair across the room.

Ten long, tedious, tiring steps, and Seto felt as if he had run a marathon. Slumping back into the wheelchair, he watched as the nurse set him up, strapped him in, and began pushing him. He tried to swallow back his pride. He, Seto Kaiba, CEO of KaibaCorp, reduced to a wheelchair. It was hard to fathom.

But Mokuba soon appeared next to him, and his worries about reputation fell by the wayside. He was alive for his brother. He would survive and be out of this hospital. That was all that mattered.

"How have you been?" he asked, glancing up at Mokuba. The boy had grown a few inches over the years, yet he was still surprisingly shorter than Seto. He looked older, however, much more mature and confident. He was growing up well. But Seto, being bedridden and in and out of sleep for the past few days, had seen little of Mokuba. Today was the first day they could actually talk.

"Worried," Mokuba answered. "I thought you were going to die."

"Good thing I didn't," Seto responded. "We wouldn't be able to release our game if I had."

It was supposed to bring a smile to his brother's face, but it seemed to fail, for Mokuba continued following him with a worried expression. Seto frowned. He knew his injuries had been grave. He couldn't imagine what his brother had gone through while he was asleep. _"Just another way I've failed him as an older brother..."_

"The doctor said you won't be able to come home for at least another day or two," Mokuba remarked. The sound of his voice and the squeaking of the wheelchair filled the hallway. Seto briefly wondered where all the other nurses and doctors were. "They want to make sure your muscles are okay."

"I should be fine," Seto replied, ignoring the shot of pain (or was it guilt at the lie?) that went up his leg. "I'll be home bugging you before you know it."

Again, the attempt failed, and Seto decided to just let it go. He knew he looked like shit; there was no point in lying to his brother about it. The situation was bad; the one time he was trying to make it better, he found himself falling flat on his face. His brother was older now. He knew better. And Seto's appearance did little to convince Mokuba of his semi-light-hearted tone. He had lost nearly ten pounds while unconscious thanks to his source of vitamins and minerals being a simple IV. He was sure he lost some muscle mass, and he still felt weak in his torso. Breathing sometimes bothered him, and a large bruise which covered the majority of his chest showed itself along the edges of the neckline of the patient's robes. He was in bad shape.

But he was getting better. He was beginning to eat and drink normally. And he received a bath the previous evening, to his sheer happiness. From what the doctor told him, it was his belief he would be home tomorrow, if not the next day. He would be home soon.

The thought didn't bring as much happiness to his mind as he had hoped. He would still be stuck in a wheelchair, he knew that much. There was no way his leg was healing in two days, and with the cast, it was going to be even more burdensome. He would be stuck at the manor on the first floor, no doubt. He had spare bedrooms, but it just was the idea being stuck on the first floor of your own home. He would have to ask Mokuba or one of the servants to bring down his computer so he could work without going upstairs. If he could work. This cast was going to be a severe detriment. And getting to KaibaCorp... Roland would certainly have to help him around.

That wasn't even the worst part. The worst part was everyone else. People would pry. They already were. The nurse let slip that several reporters stopped by the other day wondering how the mighty CEO was doing. The whole thing was turning into a spectacle outside the sterile walls of the hospital, and the thought of entering the masses made Seto's already tight chest tighten even more. He didn't want to deal with the pressure of the media, but he knew it was bound to happen. Someone would ask questions. Someone would want to make a name for himself.

"Here we are!" the nurse exclaimed. The glass doors leading into the training room slid open, and Seto saw to his surprise a fully-functioning gymnasium, complete with yoga mats, running machines, and weights. He was pushed right into a side room, away from the machinery, and saw what appeared to be a line of bikes sawn in half. Only the pedals and two wheels were visible. Somewhat surprised, Seto watched as the nurse deftly pushed him up to one, pushed his legs down (eliciting a groan from him), and attached the pedals to the wheelchair. "Alright, Mr. Kaiba. I assume you know how to ride a bicycle?"

Seto grunted in response.

"No need to show off. Just place your feet on the pedals. There we are." Seto slowly did so, gripping the handlebars of his wheelchair tightly. It felt like his legs were being slowly ripped apart down the center. "Okay. Just pedal for a little bit. That's all we ask. I'll even bring you a cup of water."

_"What the hell kind of therapy is this?"_ Seto thought incredulously. He watched as the nurse walked away and scoffed before glancing over at his brother. "Does he really expect me to do this?" he whispered.

Mokuba chuckled. "You _do_ want to get out of here, right Big Brother?"

Seto sighed. "I look ridiculous."

"Are you really concerned about that right now? Here, I'll sit next to you."

Seto blinked and watched in surprise as his little brother dragged a stool over. Placing his own feet on the pedals, he smiled over at Seto and said, "Come on, let's do this."

For a minute, Seto wanted to reach over and hug his brother. He was so caring and thoughtful about others, while Seto remained as selfish as ever. Placing his feet against the pedals, he began to slowly push, his brother following suit, though obviously at a faster pace. It hurt, and Seto bit his lip again to suppress the groan, but within a couple of minutes, he had a slow but steady rhythm going. It hurt beyond all belief, but somewhere deep inside, it felt good to be moving again.

"What's been going on since I got into the accident?" Seto asked, glancing over at his brother in the hopes of clearing his mind from the pain. If he could talk, he could do his best to ignore it.

"You mean besides the media explosion?" Mokuba sighed in frustration. "It's all over the news. The guy who caused the whole mess ended up killing two people. Another one is in a coma. You apparently made it out lucky."

Seto's eyes widened. He hadn't expected that. "And I take it the media is eating it up?"

"Yeah. It's not pretty. That guy is so going to jail."

_"Good. Let him rot in Hell, for all I care."_ "What have you been up to?"

"Honestly, not a whole lot. Fortunately I got all my work done early, like usual, so I didn't have to worry about homework this week. Whenever classes were over, I immediately came here."

"With Roland?"

Mokuba shook his head no. "With Anzu."

_"Anzu..."_ Seto sighed. One of the geek squad. One of Yugi's friends. A face he only saw every few months now that they had all graduated from high school. In fact, now that he thought on it, Anzu was the only one Mokuba still hung out with from that crowd. She and Jounouchi on the rare occasion to play a new video game, though Mokuba was smart enough to keep him separate from his older brother. Yugi, Honda, Shizuka, they had all vanished upon graduation, to Seto's great relief.

"When she heard the news, she gave me a call and asked how everything was," Mokuba continued. "She drove me here Wednesday and Friday. She wanted to see you to see how you were doing."

Seto scoffed. "Why?"

Mokuba shrugged. "'Cuz she was worried about you."

Seto decided it would be best to keep his mouth shut. He would never understand his brother's group of friends, but he was nevertheless happy his brother had friends. Not like him, all alone in the manor or KaibaCorp. "I suppose I'll have to thank her for driving you around," he muttered.

"She and I are getting together for burgers next week. If you're back at the manor by then, you'll be able to see her."

He could see his little brother's smile out of the corner of his eye. "I suppose that will work..."

"She's really busy right now, though. She's got a recital coming up in a few months, and she's working really hard. Apparently she has a solo performance."

Seto didn't really care what Anzu was doing, but it was taking his mind off the pain. What had been unbearable had grown even _more_ unbearable. He soon stopped and released a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

"Sorry about the wait!" the nurse suddenly exclaimed behind them. Both turned, and Seto watched as the nurse pulled a metal table close to Seto and set a plastic cup of water down. "There you go! How's it going?"

"Painfully," Seto retorted. He snatched the cup of water and drained it in one gulp.

"You'll sleep good tonight, at any rate," the nurse responded. "Now, let me see you do some repetitions."

_"Do your own damn repetitions,"_ Seto thought, placing his feet in the correct position. _"Or better yet, just stay here and watch me do it from the start rather than go running off to fetch water across the freakin' country."_ He inhaled a large breath of air before pushing against the pedals. He slowly did one rotation, then another. He glanced over to see his brother doing the same and felt a small smile tugging at his lips. _"Mokuba... Where would I be without you, kid?"_

It was another fifteen minutes before the nurse took the pedals away and pushed Seto back to his room. By then, Seto was sweating, and his legs felt numb. Mokuba left to go home, and after draining another cup of water, Seto was helped into the bed.

Kota was right. Within seconds, Seto was fast asleep.


	4. 4 : Compromise

**Chapter 4 : Compromise**

Crudely signing the papers, Seto slid the forms across the counter. The nurse, an old woman with a pinched face and wire-framed glasses, briefly examined them before stamping them loudly, as if the stamp had to reach the floor beneath her. Setting them aside, she glanced up and said, "All right, Mr. Kaiba. You are free to leave. We'll see you tomorrow for physical therapy."

Seto nodded, slightly jarred when Mokuba pulled him away from the counter. He had guessed hist post-hospital visit situation accurately; he was stuck in the wheelchair. Depending on how long his physical therapy took, it would be several days to several weeks before he fully recovered, with the doctors leaning on the "weeks" side of things. They changed his cast, however, to a dark blue short arm cast that gave him more manueverability, and he felt particularly happy at the prospect of being able to use the majority of his hand. It meant he could get some work done on his computer, at any rate. He wasn't completely useless.

Though he would argue he was close. Needing Mokuba to push him around hurt his pride despite the stupidity of the feeling. He knew his brother would push him to the end of the world and back again if he asked. No, it wasn't the matter of Mokuba doing it. It was simply the matter that he, Seto Kaiba, could not even push himself around. He had to rely on someone else for that. The small arm cast gave him more movement space, but the pressure he would put on his wrist pushing himself around would no doubt do more harm to the healing bones than good.

"You happy to be going home?" Mokuba asked as he pushed the wheelchair through the sliding front doors of the hospital.

"Absolutely," Seto answered, and it was true. He was tired of the nurses taking readings of him, of having to do that stupid, God-awful physical therapy with Kota breathing down his neck, and of being in that ridiculous patient outfit. He was happy to be in his own clothes again, a pair of black pants with a loose, dark blue t-shirt. Fortunately his leg didn't need a cast, so he could wear his pants without much trouble. The pain he felt upon standing was still unbearable, forcing him in the wheelchair, but he would take a wheelchair over the hassle of another cast.

Mokuba pushed him out to the curb before putting the brakes on. "I'll go get Roland," he said, smiling down at his brother. "He's waiting in the parking lot. Just in case there were any reporters and all..."

Seto nodded in understanding. The _last_ thing he wanted was to attract any sort of attention right now. He watched as Mokuba crossed the street into the vast parking lot and sighed.

He should have been enjoying the fresh air; it had been a little over a week since he was outside. It was a breezy, Spring afternoon, with the wind blowing, the sun shining, the smell of flowers in the air. But all he could think about was how he was going to proceed in life now that he was glued to the seat of the wheelchair. He couldn't move it on his own; his cast hindered him from doing so. He would most definitely be stuck on the first floor of the manor, but how was he to even get around that? Once he was in a room, he could manage by shifting his weight on his good arm and using furniture to balance. At least he could take a shower by himself and what-not. But to actually get around...

_"Mokuba can't stay home with me for weeks,"_ Seto reflected. He glanced up to see the clear blue sky. It did nothing to ease his tension. _"Roland can help me, but only so much. He has to take Mokuba to school and watch over things at KaibaCorp. Will I even be able to go to KaibaCorp... How am I going to run a corporation if I can't even get outside the hospital without assistance?"_

Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back and sighed. _"What am I going to do?"_

The sound of a car approaching caught his attention. He lifted his head and saw a sleek, black luxury vehicle rolling up along the edge of the sidewalk. Seto watched as his brother got out of the passenger seat, Roland appearing on the opposite side. Mokuba opened the backseat before pushing Seto to the very edge of the street. "Okay, Seto, one, two, three!" Roland and Mokuba both lifted Seto up, and he was quickly put on the edge of the backseat. Seto held back the groan of pain as he slid inside, listening as Roland folded the wheelchair. Mokuba slid into the seat next to him, forcing Roland to put the wheelchair in the front passenger seat. Both doors were closed, and once Roland took his position in the driver's seat, he called back, "The manor, sir?"

"The manor," he answered curtly.

The car started up, and soon they were on their way home. Away from the hospital, the machines, the sterile hallways. _"Back to everyday life... Or what I can maintain of it."_

"What are you planning to do when we get home?" Mokuba asked. Seto looked over at him. His brother appeared happy to have him around again, but there was a sense of worry in his eyes. Something was bothering him.

"Honestly, we're going to have to move some things downstairs so that I can function," Seto replied. "I can use one of the few spare bedrooms we have on the first floor. Either that, or the lounge room. I could easily sleep on one of the sofas in there, and it has the nice bathroom nearby. There is no point in dragging me up and down those stairs; I don't even think that's a possibility."

Mokuba nodded. "I can definitely help with that, if you want. Any clothes or items you want me to bring down. Good thing the library is on the first floor, at any rate. I can push you there, and you can spend your days relaxing and reading."

Seto sighed. His brother was not going to like hearing this, but... "I was rather hoping Roland or you could bring my computer down so I could get some work done."

Nope, Mokuba didn't like hearing that at all. He immediately frowned. "Seto, you just got out of the hospital! You have a broken arm. What kind of work do you hope to accomplish? You need to be resting and recovering, not stressing yourself out with KaibaCorp."

"That game isn't going to beta test itself, and I want to release it as much as you do. I've been thinking... This cast offers me enough wiggle room with my hand to be able to play a game. Rather than bringing in a beta tester, I could just test the game myself. We have the necessary game console equipment at home. I can play the game, take notes of any bugs, and send them in to the people at KaibaCorp."

His brother's frown indicated he still wasn't buying it. Seto sighed and shook his head. "I can't stay home and read books all day. You know how I am. I need to be doing..._something._ Something productive. Something with this game."

For a few minutes, they sat in silence. Seto looked at his brother, who stared in deep contemplation out the window, before shaking his head. _"First thing I do when I get released by the hospital is upset Mokuba. Perfect..."_ But no matter what, it was true, and he had to be honest with his little brother. He couldn't stay at home all day just by himself, cooped up in the library or stuck in his bedroom. He had to work. It was what he did best. He would go crazy otherwise, thinking of all the things he could be doing with the game.

"What if...someone stayed home with you?"

Mokuba's voice shot through the silence, though he only spoke a little above a whisper. Seto blinked and returned his attention to him, who was now staring back at him. "I'll have the maid and Roland. I won't be home alone all the time."

"But you're going to need someone next to you while I'm at school. Someone other than Roland or the maid. Someone who can actually sit next to you and make sure you're okay while I'm away."

Seto frowned. "Why is that?"

Mokuba rolled his eyes. Another trait he was picking up from Seto. "Because, silly, you're stuck in a wheelchair!" he exclaimed. "We need to be serious about this. I knew you would ask about the work, but we need to be realistic. You can't push yourself around. What if you needed something, and Roland was picking me up at school, or the maid was out getting groceries or upstairs cleaning? Why not hire a nurse or someone who can watch over you?"

"I left the hospital to get away from the nurses," Seto countered. "I don't want to bring one into my house."

"Then how about someone you trust?"

"I only trust you and Roland. I don't even think I trust the maid."

"Seto..."

Seto sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry Mokuba... You know how I am. I know KaibaCorp is out of the question. But..."

"_But _you're a workaholic. And a really bad one, too."

Seto chuckled.

"But what about, say, Anzu?"

Seto's eyes shot open. "Absolutely not." He hissed the words.

"Aww, but why not?"

"Doesn't she have a day job?" It certainly should not have been the first question he asked, yet he blurted it out nevertheless.

"Oh no, she quit her day job. She works at night at the dance studio. She teaches a few classes before she has her own sessions. Apparently it pays decently, as she has bigger classes."

"Oh..."

"Sooooo she's available during the day, at least during the times I'm at school. You could pay her to just be around in case anything happened." Chuckling, he added, "Or I could invite Jounouchi to watch over you?"

"The dog? I'd be too busy making sure he didn't get anything in the house dirty." Seto shook his head. "I don't want her."

"Yugi?"

"Again, absolutely not."

"You're right. If you fell, Yugi wouldn't be able to pick you up. Hmmm… There's Honda…"

Seto growled. "No. Way."

"Well then I'm calling a nurse."

"No, Mokuba. No nurses."

"Seto, I'm not letting you sit at home by yourself! Not with you in a cast and a wheelchair!" Mokuba's eyes widened at his own shout, and he added in a much softer tone, "I'm not trying to be difficult, Seto. But these are some serious physical issues we're talking about, and I don't want anything bad to happen. I can watch over you and push you around if you need me after school, but during school, you'll be on your own. And I don't want to risk anything."

Seto nodded in understanding, and a small smile slowly tugged at his lips. "I know, Mokuba. I know you do it because you care."

Mokuba smiled widely at the compliment. "So you'll agree to have someone at the manor?"

Seeing the manor in the distance outside, he frowned. Nurses were out of the question; he would rather have a reporter watching him than a nosy, clumsy nurse. _"And Mokuba seems ever intent on getting someone from the Geek Squad to watch over me… If I had to pick one just to calm him down…"_ He looked back at Mokuba and said, "I'll compromise, but only because I know you aren't going to change your mind on the issue. You get Anzu to come here to do whatever it is you want someone to do. Tell her I'll pay since I know it's taking up her time. She can bring whatever she wants to entertain herself since I'm going to be working on the game. That's the bargain. You get your person watching me, and I get to work on the game."

The sound of the gates leading into the Kaiba estate opening reached their ears. Mokuba grinned widely and nodded his head. "Deal!"


	5. 5 : Proposition

_Hello everyone! Just wanted to let you all know that I greatly appreciate all the views and reviews! You guys are freakin' awesome - I really couldn't ask for a better audience!_

_And just for some shameless self-promotion, if any of you guys are interested in video games, I have started a blog where I talk all about video games. It will be updated daily, and once the site is properly set-up, I plan on posting some guides, reviews, and other fun stuff. If you guys think this sounds cool, go check it out! The link is posted on my profile page here at fanfiction!_

_Now, on with the story!_

* * *

Chapter 5 : Proposition

"Man, I freakin' love these burgers."

Anzu chuckled as she took a bite out of her own. A bit of hamburger juice slid down her cheek, and she quickly swiped a napkin from the end of the table to wipe it away. Setting the burger down, she took a long sip of her coca-cola, the first one she had in months, before letting out a huge sigh of satisfaction. Mokuba smiled and asked, "How does it feel to be the customer instead of the waitress?"

"It feels fantastic!" she exclaimed, stretching her arms out slightly. "I love my job at the dance studio. I can't believe they even hired me to begin with."

"Why? You sound like you're really good at it, and everyone knows how passionate you are about dancing."

Anzu returned the smile. "I just wish it paid a little better, but hey, it pays better than what I was making as a waitress. I suppose I can't complain."

"At least you aren't working here. Our waitress looked exhausted."

The American-style restaurant was packed full of customers, and the sounds of all the hustle and bustle filled Anzu's ears. She turned to see the waiters and waitresses running about, carrying orders, taking orders, and lining up at the cash register to get customers in and out. The memory of doing the same thing night after night made her mentally shudder. She took another bite of her delicious burger to ignore the memories.

"How are your students? You didn't tell me much about your classes the last time we talked."

Anzu ate a french fry before saying, "They're actually very nice kids. The one class is pretty big, maybe thirty to forty six years olds, but they are absolutely adorable and fun to watch. Then the class after that is fifteen middle schoolers. They're fun, but you know girls." Winking, she added, "Catty little bitches."

Mokuba burst out laughing. "Anzu, I think you're the _least_ catty person I've ever met."

"Awww." Giggling, she said, "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Good!"

The two laughed before taking bites out of their food. The waitress, a tall, lean girl with long, black hair, approached them and asked, "How is everything so far?"

"Very good!" Anzu replied.

"Can we possibly get the check?" asked Mokuba.

"O-Of course!" the waitress exclaimed. "I'll get it for you right away."

"Oh, it's no trouble!" Mokuba quickly added. "Whenever you get the chance."

The waitress seemed happy for this reprieve, for she smiled and bowed slightly before leaving them to help another group. _"Can't say I miss it at all,"_ Anzu thought.

"So, Anzu...when exactly do you teach at the dance school?"

"I teach the little kids from six to seven at night," she answered. "Then I teach the middle schoolers right after that, again for an hour. My own lessons are from eight to eleven at night. Sometimes I go early in the morning to practice, but actual rehearsal is pretty late, and it's long because we have four dances we're doing. Then there's my solo work... It's all but a full-time job."

"What do you do during the day then? Sleep?"

Anzu chuckled and shook her head no. "I go for jogs or practice in the park. I try to stay outside; I can't stand being cooped up in my apartment all day."

"You see Yugi and his group anymore? I haven't talked to them in forever... I should probably give them a call."

"Yugi is doing well, though I don't talk to him as much as you'd probably think," Anzu replied. "After Yami left, Yugi had some trouble readjusting. I tried helping him out, but...well, you know what happened."

"He still holds it against you?"

"I don't think so. I think he knows to accept what happened and move on. But it's still a little awkward."

"Understandable."

"Jounouchi is Jounouchi. He actually just got an apartment with Shizuka last month, and from what I hear, they're doing well. He's got a job at some bookstore-" The sound of Mokuba choking on his drink caught her attention, and she laughed aloud at the sight. "I know, I know!" she exclaimed, holding her hands up as if to plead guilty. "I was shocked, too. But he says he loves it. It's quiet, he makes decent money, and apparently he's actually picked up a few books while working there."

"Holy shit..."

Anzu continued laughing until the waitress came back to their table. "Here you guys are," she remarked, setting the bill on the table. "Thank you for your patience. Have a great week!"

"You too!" Anzu replied. Mokuba nodded; his mouth was full of french fries. Anzu took another large bite out of her burger. She was almost done already; she hadn't realized until she got here how hungry she was. "Oh," she added, continuing their conversation, "Honda is working as a mechanic. He seems to enjoy it enough."

"Again, that's pretty ironic," Mokuba remarked.

Anzu smirked. "I know... But we have all moved on from high school, it seems. Makes you appreciate all the times we spent together. Now it seems so difficult just to get in contact with anyone."

"I hear you. Now that I'm in high school, I have so much work to be doing. Plus I love helping Seto out at work."

"How is the video game coming along?" Anzu inquired. "Last time we talked, you said you were nearly complete with the first few stages."

"It's going well. All we have to do is test it, but Seto's a perfectionist. Beta testing is usually done in order to get all the kinks and errors out of the game, but Seto works so hard he does that right away. So beta testing for us is usually just playing the game all the way through to make sure there's nothing left untouched."

"Is Seto going to do that on his own?"

"Well...that's part of the reason why I asked what your hours were," Mokuba began, taking a large sip of his drink before continuing. "It was because of Seto."

"Why? What's wrong with..." Then she remembered the news. The crash that had been all over the internet and television for nearly three days. Her eyes widened. "Oh my goodness, I completely forgot about what happened. I'm so sorry. Is he doing all right?"

"Much better," Mokuba replied. "He's home, though he still can't get around on his own."

"What...exactly happened to him? You can never trust what the people on t.v. say."

Mokuba sighed. "As far as witnesses and everyone involved can tell, some guy was just drunk driving and caused a collision of several cars. Seto was stuck in it. He was riding his motorcycle, and he must have been hit in the back or something. He told me he remembers skidding into another car, but the motorcycle jammed him into the parked car and trapped him." Pointing at his chest, he said, "Seto's still got a large bruise here, and for awhile, it really hurt him to breathe."

Anzu shudded. "Holy cow..."

"Yeah. But like I said, he's doing much better. He can breathe normally again, and while he still has the bruise, it's slowly but surely disappearing."

"So what's he doing now that he's home?"

Mokuba glared slightly at his drink. She watched as he drained the glass before setting it down and sighing. "Oh, being his typical workaholic self. The second he got home, he had Roland bring down his computer so he could do some work. He can't go upstairs because of the wheelchair, so he made Roland bring down his work station."

Anzu shook her head. "Glad to hear he hasn't changed much. Though I guess it means he really is recovering."

"He's just being stubborn," Mokuba corrected.

Anzu frowned. "I'm sorry..."

Mokuba shook his head. "Not your fault, Anzu. In fact, I was hoping to ask you a favor concerning Big Brother."

"A...favor?"

"You don't work during the day. I need someone who is available while I'm at school. Roland and our maid are busy all day making sure things run smoothly, but that means Seto will be by himself. But he's still stuck in a wheelchair, and while he can do some work with his hand, he can't put a whole lot of pressure on it."

"His hand?"

Mokuba nodded. Holding his right arm up, he said, "Seto has a small cast on his right arm."

"Ah."

"So yeah. He needs to have someone around in case something happens. But for some reason, he is dead set against having a nurse come in to check on him. I told him I didn't want him doing any work if he was going to be at home by himself, but you know him...and I know him. So..."

Anzu bit her lower lip. "You...want me to keep an eye on him?"

"Just during the day, when I'm at school," Mokuba replied. His voice had dropped somewhat, blending in with the sounds of the restaurant. "I know this is a huge favor I'm asking of you, and Seto says if you do it, he'll pay you for your trouble."

_That_ caused Anzu's eyes to widen to the size of saucers. "Kaiba actually _agreed_ to this arrangement?"

"I didn't give him much choice. I told him either someone I trusted, one of you guys, watched over him, or I would hire a nurse."

Anzu couldn't help but chuckle. _"The only person to stand up to Kaiba is his little brother."_ "Would I...have to do this every day?"

Mokuba frowned. "Every weekday," he muttered. He quickly looked up and added, "Like I said, we'd definitely pay you for your trouble. And I know this is a _big _favor to be asking of you. But you can bring whatever you want, and we do have a work-out space if you wanted to practice dancing. I just need someone there in case Seto needs something... I don't trust him home alone. If he can't get something or wants to do something, he'll try on his own. He's just stubborn like that. And if he falls or needs his medicine..."

For a minute, the two sat in silence. Anzu bit into a fry and glanced out the window. It was getting dark out, she briefly noted. Indeed, the restaurant suddenly seemed quieter, as if half the customers had left in one silent, swift motion. _"It would get me out of the apartment, and I do need the money badly,"_ she reflected. She ate another french fry. _"Yeah, it would be with Seto Kaiba, but he'd be working all day. Sounds like I could spend the day doing what I want in the manor."_

Her last french fry. Smirking, she looked up at Mokuba and said, "I'll do it for this week and see how it goes. Besides, this isn't something that will last forever. Do you know how long he is going to be in the wheelchair?"

Mokuba's eyes widened in shock, and her questions seemed to fall on deaf ears. "You...You'll do it?!"

Anzu smiled and nodded.

For a moment, Mokuba seemed to be in shock, but he finally smiled widely and clasped his hands. "OH my God! Thank you so so so so so so so SO much for this! I was soooo worried you'd say no!"

Anzu ate her final french fry. "It's no trouble... Besides, I owe you for all these meals you've bought me."

Mokuba chuckled and, as if reminded, grabbed the bill. "But yeah... Oh my goodness, Anzu, you have no idea how worried I was. It won't be for long, I promise. Maybe a month. Once he's out of his wheelchair, he'll be fine." Anzu nodded in understanding. She couldn't get over how happy Mokuba looked. "I owe you more burgers than you can count..." he continued, and she chuckled before waving her hand.

"I think you've already bought me enough burgers," she remarked.

He chuckled. She glanced down at her watch and sighed. "Well, I have classes soon. I'll take you back to the manor."

"Sounds good! In fact, do you want a quick tour of the manor when we get there?"

Anzu frowned as she glanced at her watch again. "It's getting close to the time I have lessons... Will you be awake when I'm done?"

"What time did you say that was? Eleven?" Anzu nodded. Mokuba seemed to ponder the idea and finally nodded. "Yeah, I'll definitely be up."

"Can I come over then?"

"Sure!" A wide smile crossed Mokuba's lips again, and Anzu smiled in return. The fact that she would be seeing the inside of the Kaiba manor that evening felt rather surreal, but she couldn't say no to Mokuba.

_"Besides, it's just a month or so. And who knows, maybe the pay will be great, and I'll be able to finally move out of my crappy apartment..."_


	6. 6 : Yuki

Chapter 6 : Yuki

Anzu cautiously approached the gates leading onto the Kaiba property. Driving up to the edge, she looked at the imposing entrance and frowned. A sturdy, wrought iron arch connecting two stone pillars greeted her, with matching wrought iron gates standing between her and the manor. She glanced at the one pillar and noticed a small camera positioned on the end looking directly at her. _"Guess this is my warm welcome..."_ she thought. The whole thing struck her as odd; the more she thought about this situation, the more surreal it seemed. _"Kaiba actually agreed to spend a few weeks with me in order to satisfy his brother's request. Either Mokuba really pushed this onto him, or his wounds are much more severe than Mokuba let on."_

A sudden beep caught her attention, and she watched in surprise as the gates to the grounds slowly opened. Taking this is as her cue, she pulled in and slowly made her way down the asphalt and around a small fountain to the front of the manor. To her left and right were gardens which appeared to be impeccably kept, and as she parked her car and got out, she blinked at the silence that surrounded her. _"Even though it's only on the outskirts of the city, you'd think we were out in the countryside with how quiet it is."_ She wished her apartment was this quiet.

"Anzu!"

The sound of the boy's voice caught her attention. Smiling, she turned to see Mokuba standing in the grand entrance to the manor. He was smiling widely and waving to her. "Welcome to my humble abode!" he exclaimed, bowing slightly in jest.

She laughed. "I don't think 'humble' is the right word, Mokuba," she replied. Climbing the few stairs up to the entrance balcony, she stepped inside the manor and slipped her shoes off.

Mokuba smirked. "How was practice?"

"Tiring," she admitted. She glanced over to see a mirror and quickly looked at her reflection. Her hair was a little messy, and she was still wearing her outfit from practice, a light pink leotard with a somewhat transparent black skirt and white tights. _"I'm sure Kaiba will have something to say about this... But oh well."_

"You want something to drink?"

Anzu smiled and nodded to him. "If it's all right."

"Of course! Follow me. I'll show you the rooms along the way."

Anzu took a brief second to examine her surroundings. They were in a grand foyer, with an elegant, wooden stairwell leading up to a second-floor balcony. A glass chandelier hung above them, illuminating the large space. Paintings of various landscapes lined the wall leading up to the second floor, and her footsteps echoed off the smooth wooden flooring as she followed Mokuba past the stairwell and into a larger-than-life living room.

"This is the main room we use on this floor, with the study being second," Mokuba explained. "You can see the entertainment system over there, and we have lots of couches and chairs spaced out for guests."

"Will Kaiba be spending most of his time in here?" she asked, noting the extravagent entertainment system, complete with rows upon rows of video games, DVDs, and what appeared to be flashy books. There were also several bookshelves lining the far walls, stuffed full with all kinds of things, including photo frames, novels, and folders.

To her surprise, Mokuba shook his head no. "Nah, he moved most of his stuff into the room he's staying in, which also kind of serves as an entertainment room. His room is more a game room than this room. Here, let me get you something to drink."

The two turned left and headed down a long hallway. To her left, Anzu glanced into a vast dining room, at least two average room length's long, before they turned right into a kitchen that appeared just as big as the dining room, if not bigger. A long, stand-alone bar stood in the center of the tiled room, with various plants in vases scattered, adding a thick aroma in the room. Along the wall were counters, a sleek refrigerator, a stove, and various cabinets. Mokuba approached the refrigerator, quickly took a glass and a purifier for water out, and poured her a glass. He then handed it to her and smiled.

"This is the kitchen, as you can see," he replied, pointing at their surroundings. "We passed the dining room on our way here, on your left."

Anzu nodded and sipped at her drink. It was just the right temperature. _"Geez, even the water in the Kaiba manor is perfect."_

"Further down are a few rooms like our library and studies. You'll be able to note them by little tabs we have on the doors."

Anzu couldn't help but laugh. "Your house is so big you have to mark your own rooms?"

Mokuba chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, it's silly. But sometimes we forget. It's only the two of us in this big manor, after all. We didn't even enter this wing beyond the kitchen for over half a year before deciding to hire a maid to keep the place running."

"What all does the maid do?"

"Irika mostly just cleans. Seto does a lot of the cooking here, but now that he's injured, she'll probably do some cooking as well. She likes gardening, too, so during the summer she does that. She's actually just started taking stock of all our plants and stuff outside. She loves trying all sorts of new things out there, and as long as it's kept clean and organized, Seto doesn't mind."

"Busy girl..."

"Yeah. And then there's Roland. He's mostly a chauffer anymore. With all the serial killers and crazy Duel Monsters people gone, his job as a bodyguard has gotten to be pretty boring." Smirking, he added, "Not that we're complaining."

Anzu nodded in agreement. "I understand. It's so nice not having to worry about types like Marik again."

"Definitely. Well, I'll show you the other wing. That's where Seto's staying for the most part, after all."

"Can I bring this with me?" she asked, lifting her glass.

Mokuba smiled and nodded. "Absolutely! Trust me, we're not so picky as you think."

_"You aren't. But your brother..."_ Anzu followed Mokuba out of the room and back down the hallway the way they came, passing the vast living room and foyer before turning left and heading down a new hallway. She had to admit, while the manor was enormous, it had a sort of homely quality to it. The smooth wooden flooring blended somehow with the maroon-painted walls, and the aroma of flowers, found on the occasional wooden table, seemed to keep the anticipated musty smell at bay. The place felt a lot more alive than she would believe, given, as Mokuba said, that there were technically only two inhabitants. _"And with one of those inhabitants being Seto Kaiba."_

They soon came to another archway and walked through. She heard Mokuba sigh and looked in the direction he was staring. Her eyes widened.

Lying fast asleep on a light beige sofa was none other than Seto Kaiba. He was dressed in a white, button-up t-shirt and black pants. He apparently hadn't dressed for bed, and the empty wheelchair next to the sofa indicated as much, that he had simply moved from one seat to the next. His one arm dangled loosely off the side of the sofa, while another seemed to be cuddling something close to his chest. She leaned in closer to get a better look and blinked in surprise.

"A...cat?"

"Yuki," Mokuba whispered as he approached his older brother. "It means 'snow' in English."

Indeed, the cat was white as snow. She stared at it sleeping next to Seto, purring almost in time with Seto's breaths, who was himself out cold. "When did you get the cat?" she asked.

"We found her," Mokuba explained, keeping his voice low. Anzu turned to see him grabbing a beige blanket and watched as he carefully laid it on top of his brother. "Seto found her wandering the grounds and eventually decided to keep her. We got her cleaned up and everything, and because Seto found her, I let him name her. Seto decided to call her Yuki. At first, I admit, I thought it was kind of stupid, but during a big snowstorm, she rushed outside and played in the snow. Have you ever seen a cat play in snow?" Anzu shook her head no. "Me neither. And this cat loved it." Smirking, Mokuba said, "Seto can read even cats' personalities. Big Brother can read anybody and anything, it seems."

The idea of Kaiba taking in a stray cat startled her. _"Maybe he really does have a heart for things other than Mokuba..."_ As she stared at the sleeping Kaiba and his pet cat, however, she noticed a few things. His dangling arm was wrapped in a dark blue cast, and his face looked a bit thinner than usual. A light glow shined across his paler skin, and she turned in the direction of the glow to see a dying fire in a large, marble fireplace. The embers illuminated some of the room, and she noted a piano standing in the corner, while a long line of bookshelves covered the rest of the walls.

"This is our second living room, though not the game room," Mokuba explained. "I guess he chose to sleep in here instead. Makes sense. I thought it was stupid for him to sleep in the game room when the couches in here are so much comfier." Sighing, he said, "Anywho, this is where Seto's going to sleep. The game room is the next one down the hallway on the right. That's where he'll be working on the video game. On the left are the bathrooms. It's a full bathroom, so this wing will basically be his until he's out of the wheelchair."

"I see..."

"No point in showing you upstairs, unless you want to see my room. Outside is a swimming pool and the gardens. Seto might ask to go outside for a bit; he likes seeing what Irika is doing sometimes. Otherwise, he'll be in here. This is all you'll have to worry about. Oh!" Raising his hand, he added, "And the gymansium room is actually in the other wing, past the kitchen. You'll make a right, go down the hallway, and it'll be on your left." Anzu smiled, trying to hide her confusion, and he smiled up at her and shook his head. "No worries. This place isn't as big as you think. And like I said, you can bring books, movies, anything you want to do while you're here."

Anzu nodded in understanding.

"I really appreciate this, Anzu. You have no idea. And I know this seems like a lot, because, well, it is... So are you...still okay with watching over him?"

Anzu took one final look at the sleeping Kaiba and his pet cat. He looked so different asleep. So relaxed. Not so intimidating. As though he were just another human being, curling up with his pet to get some rest.

Anzu nodded. "I can do it for you."

Mokuba's smile grew. "Thank you... Thank you so much, Anzu."

"When should I be over tomorrow to begin?"

"Hmm..." Mokuba stared for a good, long minute at his brother before saying, "He has physical therapy from the time I go to school, which is 7:30 in the morning, until about 9:00. So I'd be here at 9:00 just to be on the safe side."

Anzu frowned. "Should I meet him at the hospital instead?"

"No, it's fine. In fact, the fewer people at the hospital, the better. The last thing we want to do is let reporters know which hospital my brother stayed at. You've seen the media's reaction to this. It's such a mess..."

Anzu slowly nodded in understanding. "So...tomorrow at nine a.m.?"

"Tomorrow at nine a.m."

Anzu finished her glass of water and merely stared at the elder Kaiba and his cat. The cat, sensing others, slowly opened its eyes and looked up at both Mokuba and her, particularly at her. She saw that its eyes were a surprisingly deep color of brown, and it stared back at her with equal curiosity, as if to ask, _"Who in the world is this person?"_ Yet after another minute, it laid its head back down and closed its eyes. Mokuba chuckled.

"Looks like you passed Yuki's test."

Anzu smirked. "Yeah..." _"Now I just have to pass your brother's."_


	7. 7 : Co-Op Gaming

Chapter 7 : Co-Op Gaming

Seto leaned back into the leather seat and felt the car come to life underneath him as Roland turned the key in the ignition. His left leg throbbed in pain, and he slightly tightened his grip on the door as Roland backed out of the parking lot of the hospital. He wished he hadn't been so stubborn and simply taken the pain medication the doctor offered. Suppressing a groan as he moved slightly in his seat, he closed his eyes and shook his head.

_"This physical therapy shit is so awful,"_ he thought to himself. _"How is putting me through so much pain really helping me? I swear, my leg feels worse now than it did when I woke up this morning..." _Opening his eyes, he glanced down at his cast. _"Funny how my broken bone doesn't hurt as much as my twisted muscle. Why didn't they put my leg in a cast while they were at it? Why just let it go? I can't walk, that's for damn sure. So why not do something to straighten it out? I should really do some research on what is happening with my body right now. That way I can call out the doctors if they try to bullshit me. There has to be a better way of fixing my leg than making me pedal for a long hour and stretch for fifteen minutes."_

Sighing, he glanced out the window at the city. In the distance, he could see the towering building of KaibaCorp. The sight made him flinch, and he swiftly turned his attention away. _"How shameful. I can't even look at my own company. Mokuba insists I stay home, but he doesn't have to tell me. If I were to show up in a wheelchair at my own company..."_

Biting his lower lip, he reflected on the work he had missed and sighed again. _"I'm going to have to start beta testing this game today if I wish to get back on track. Mokuba said he was going to start looking at some marketing tactics. We'll have to begin preparing presentations of demos and what-not. In fact, we should probably already have a demo out in order to get the fanbases talking. Perhaps he can do some online marketing, start some discussions up in forums and get some interviews with the leading video game magazines. Those wouldn't be hard to organize."_

His mind was reeling so much with options, paths they could take, processes to get done, that before he realized it, he was entering his property through the familiar stone archway. Glancing forward, he blinked in surprise upon seeing another car parked in the long driveway. It didn't look like a car a businessman would have; it's dark green hue was slightly dirty, and there was a significant dent in the back. "Roland, whose car is that?"

"I believe that is Anzu Mazaki's car, Mr. Kaiba," Roland answered.

Seto's heart skipped a beat. _"Fuck... I forgot about her."_

The car soon came to a stop. Roland, taking the keys out of the ignition, swiftly popped the trunk open with the wheelchair inside and got out. Seto pushed his own door open and noted Anzu approaching him. The sounds of the wheelchair caught his attention, and he watched as Roland deftly unfolded it and pushed it towards him.

_"Just ignore her...just ignore her..."_ Seto mentally burned in utter shame as he carefully gripped the wheelchair and pulled himself up. Quickly twisting himself around, he slumped back into the leather seat and watched as Roland closed the door shut for him. By now, Anzu was standing right next to him, and he swallowed the lump in his throat before turning to look at her. He glanced up and was surprised by how tall she was in comparison to him now that he was in the wheelchair. Her hips came up to his armrests, and he had to look up to see her face. She was wearing a pair of black capri pants, and the morning sun made her light blue shirt shine warmly.

"Morning, Kaiba," she greeted in her usual cheerful voice. "How are you doing?"

Seto grunted. "Been better," he curtly replied. Her smile curdled slightly, he noted, but he ignored it as Roland pushed him to the front of the house. Fortunately Gozaburo had thought to put a small ramp next to the stairs, else Seto was sure he wouldn't even leave the house due to the hassle the stairs would cause him. Watching Anzu climb the stairs, however, while he had to be pushed was tough to swallow. She seemed completely oblivious to his feelings of shame, though, for she continued smiling at him.

"How was your physical therapy session?"

"Painful."

"What do they have you doing?"

Seto frowned and looked over at her. Roland was fishing for his keys in his pocket, and Seto briefly wondered how he had lost them on the way from the car to the door. "Pedaling," he answered. "Pedaling a stupid bicycle."

"They don't have you doing stretches?" she inquired. He blinked in surprise.

"No. Just at the end. Why would they?"

"Because whenever we get people into the dance studio for some sort of therapy, it mostly involves stretches in order to rebuild the muscle. Just putting you on a bike is actual training, not necessarily physical therapy."

_"More proof that I need to do research."_ The sound of the front door unlocking caught his attention, and he was soon pushed into the main foyer of his manor. The smell of new roses filled the room, and Seto noticed the new indigo pot near the stairwell. _"Irika..."_

"Your house is quite lovely, Kaiba," Anzu remarked. "I love the style. And are those roses I smell?"

Not knowing what to say, he muttered, "Thanks. And yes... Irika must have planted some this morning."

"Where would you like to go, Mr. Kaiba?" questioned Roland.

"To the game room," he replied. "I need to start beta testing that game."

"Of course."

Getting there took a little longer than desired, for Seto had to be pushed around the various stands holding vases of flowers or standing underneath paintings. He memorized their positions and could easily avoid them while walking, plus they added a touch of life to the otherwise empty hallways. But with him in a wheelchair, they just served as obstacles. _"Perhaps I should ask Irika to move those for the time being. Just while I'm in this wheelchair. We can put them upstairs in my room or a spare bedroom in order to make space."_

They soon entered the game room, and he smirked at the gasp he heard Anzu elicit. "Mokuba said he gave you the tour last night," he remarked as Roland pushed him to the end of the sofa. "So why do you sound so surprised?"

"He didn't show me this room," Anzu answered, taking baby steps into the room.

He scoffed. "It's just a game room."

"It looks bigger than my entire apartment..."

Seto watched as she approached the billiard table and looked around. In front of him was the large entertainment system, bigger than the one he had purchased for the living room. The largest HD t.v. he could find stood in front of him in an extravagent, mahogany entertainment system, with two large speakers surrounding the t.v., one on each side. The two shelves above were filled with video games of all different systems, and he watched as Roland opened the cabinet containing the Playstation4, the system he and Mokuba would release their game on.

"Is the game in the system, Mr. Kaiba?" Roland suddenly asked.

Seto mentally cursed. "No. It's in the computer over there."

Roland nodded, and Seto watched as he walked down the length of the room, past the entertainment system and two couches, towards the computer. He had set up a makeshift office at the end of the room in front of a large bay window, granting him a view of the garden outside while he worked. As he watched, however, a soft "meow" caught his attention, and a smile automatically glued itself across his lips as he turned to see Yuki approaching him.

"Hey Yuki," he whispered. Patting his lap, he chuckled when she jumped up to greet him. She took a seat on his lap, and he began petting her behind her ears, right where she liked it. She began to purr at the attention.

"Mokuba told me how you rescued that cat," Anzu remarked, taking a seat next to Seto on the end of the couch. "She's very pretty."

"Her name is Yuki," Seto stated.

Anzu nodded. She leaned in and whispered, "Hey Yuki."

"She doesn't normally-" To his surprise, the cat took a step forward and sniffed at Anzu's hand, which she held out as if ready to pet him. Anzu chuckled and scratched behind Yuki's ears, right where Seto had been petting her, and the cat purred in reply.

"She's so adorable!"

"Yeah..." Petting her, he smirked when Yuki immediately returned to looking at him. "Though she usually doesn't take kindly to strangers."

"So I'm an exception?"

_"That's one word for it."_ By now, Roland had returned with the disc and was placing it into the Xbox.

"So what are you going to do now?" Anzu asked.

"The disc contains the entire game Mokuba and I have been working on for the past two years, just as though I had sold it," Seto explained. "It's finally done; I believe I managed to work out all the kinks and errors in the game. Now I wish to play through the entire game to make sure there are no final glitches. This game needs to be perfect."

"Mind if I watch?"

"Didn't you bring something to keep you occupied?"

"Not really. I was going to bring a book, but I woke up late this morning, so I didn't have much time to think about it."

A sudden thought struck him, and for a brief second, Seto questioned his sanity. _"No... Absolutely not..."_ But his brain was quick to rationalize the irrational idea. _"Mokuba and I did make this game to allow players to play in an offline two-player co-operation mode. More of Mokuba's ideas; he said he wanted to play it with a friend at some point. And it would be good to see how someone who never played a video game as far as I'm aware gets used to the game. It would give me a chance to see how intuitive the game is for newcomers. Plus it would keep her from annoying the hell out of me and interrupting."_ Roland handed him the oculus rift, the machine that allowed him to see directly through the avatar's perspective, and before he could think of what he was saying, he said, "Roland, get her the second oculus rift."

"Sir...?"

Seto looked over at Anzu and smirked. "You're stuck sitting here with me. You're going to get bored and interrupt me with questions, whether you mean to or not. So instead of getting bored, you're going to help me beta test this game. We can play co-operatively, and it will give me a second pair of eyes since Mokuba can't be here to help."

Anzu's eyes widened in shock. "B-B-But I've never played a Playstation game..." she stuttered. "I mean, I've seen Yugi and the gang play, but I never played myself. I don't own any systems."

"Even better," he insisted, watching as Roland clumsily gave her the second oculus rift and controller. "It's hard for me to judge difficulty since I've made the game myself. You can inform me if something doesn't make sense or if something is too easy or difficult."

"Are...you sure about this?"

_"No. I have no idea what I'm thinking right now. In fact, I'm pretty sure this morning's physical therapy just caused my brain to fry."_ Watching her fumble with the oculus rift, he held it up and smirked. "Watch me."

After messing with straps for a few minutes, Seto finally managed to get his and Anzu's oculus rifts on. Feeling the controller in his hands, he smiled upon feeling Yuki curl up in his lap, knowing Anzu couldn't see him. "Okay Roland, turn the game on."

_"And let's see if I really have lost my sanity by inviting her to play with me."_


	8. 8 : Landing

_Okay, this chapter was a little weird to write, mainly because I had to write it while keeping the fact that they are playing a game in mind. So please, pretty please with sugar on top, feel free to critique this. Let me know if the language is weird or something doesn't make sense. I only say this because it threw me off a bit writing in this style. _

_Now, on with the story!_

* * *

Chapter 8 : Landing

The game roared to life, and soon, Seto Kaiba found himself staring into darkness.

"I don't know what we were thinking when we hit that button," a deep, male voice said in his ear. The narrator, the doctor. Dr. Killinger. His voice rang clear through the speakers. "But we hit that button…and it damned us all. An explosion of hellfire, and the end of life as we knew it came with that war. It wasn't worth it, but then again, war never is worth it."

A bright light flashed before his eyes, and soon he found himself hovering over a broken city. He was moving forward, the skyscrapers and abandoned towers standing underneath him. "The year is 2134. And for all our progress, we have nothing to show for it. My name is Dr. Killinger; I am an assistant professor, or at least I used to be. Before the war. Before the bombs. Now I spend my time researching the ghosts. I have been researching these monsters…these ghosts…for years now. They are the spirits of everything that was damaged, our punishment for what we did to both them and this planet. Over time, their souls formed into ghosts, wandering, changing, shaping, and morphing into hideous beings. Now these same ghosts want revenge…and they have taken it." Another bright light. It dimmed down, and he found himself sitting in a seat on a plane, the camera jerking slightly to simulate turbulence. Across from him sat Anzu, and he smirked at her startled reaction. She was looking all around, and he decided to do the same.

"_Everything looks smooth…nothing out of place…"_ he thought happily. A red light overhead was their only source of illumination. He stared directly across from him to see Anzu still looking around wildly. She was dressed in steel armor, the default armor of the game, and in her hands was the standard-issue rifle. Her head was covered by the steel helmet, shielding his view of her expression. Fortunately she could not see his expression either, for he was smiling widely at the his surroundings. _"This looks so polished...all those hours of programming have paid off."_

The sounds of movement caught his attention, and he glanced over to see their sergeant turning around in his seat. He was sitting in the co-pilot's chair, and he, too, was wearing the standard steel armor. His helmet was just like theirs: steel with a somewhat forward nose and mouth, somewhat like a gas mask, with dark green eyes that could be programmed to see in the dark. _"He looks realistic enough," _Seto observed. _"No apparent glitches. His movements are fluid, and he is looking at both of us. He registers us both. Good."_

"I hope you two are ready," the Sergeant stated. "As members of DAGOS, the Defense Against Ghosts and Other Supernaturals, you have been trained and prepared for this day. Now is your chance to prove your worth to humanity. We're dropping you into the hot zone in approximately two minutes. Make sure your gear is ready. Once we land, I'll give you your orders."

A holographic screen flashed before his eyes, indicating which button to push to check his inventory. He clicked the button on his controller and watched as his character automatically looked down at his forearm. A holographic menu quickly appeared, hovering above his gloved hand and forearm. He could see in his inventory a pistol and two cases of bullets, a medical pack, and some credits.

"Um…what button do I press?"

Exiting his inventory, he looked over to see Anzu frantically looking in nearly every direction. Stifling his laughter at her confusion, he shook his head and said, "The button underneath your right thumb. You should feel four buttons; it's the top one."

Another minute passed, during which the Sergeant stared stupidly at Anzu, waiting to progress once she checked her inventory. She finally managed to open her inventory up, however, made evident by the holographic screen appearing along her forearm. "Got it!" she exclaimed, looking back up at Seto. The Sergeant nodded at the two of them, and Seto's screen began to shake as the sounds of the landing gear caught his attention.

He smiled. So far, so good.

"Alright, get ready to go!" The Sergeant strapped himself in his seat, and for a good minute, the screen shook wildly as they landed. Soon the hatch leading outside opened. Seto watched as his character model unbuckled the seat belt and swiftly stepped out onto the broken gravel, Anzu's avatar doing the same. Turning his head, he watched as the hatch closed and the airplane flew off into the distance. A bright sun shone overhead, illuminating the broken down skyscrapers. Bits of dirt and debris flew in front of him as a breeze passed by, and the airplane soon disappeared along the horizon, leaving them alone. At the very bottom of his viewpoint was a red bar, indicating his health, and in the upper-right hand corner was the time of day. 13:24 blinked on and off, and he smiled victoriously. _"It's working…it's really fucking working…"_

He took a minute to look down at his weapon. It looked realistic enough, and pressing the button, he watched his character automatically reload. Aiming, he smirked when the crosshairs appeared in the center of his screen. _"Looks good." _He swiftly turned to see Anzu's body jerking around. She was clearly toying with the controls; one second she was moving forward, the next back. She brought up her inventory, cursed, then accidentally fired a bullet into the air. He couldn't help but laugh at her. "I thought you said you watched Yugi and the guys play games?" he inquired. Her character slowly turned to face him.

"I _told_ you I never played any video games before!" she insisted. "Watching and playing are very different things, Kaiba."

"All right, soldier, listen up!" The sound of the Sergeant's voice caused both of them to become quiet. At the top of the screen, a radio wave appeared, and an image of the sergeant came into view in the upper-left hand corner. "We have sent you to downtown Domino City in order to retrieve an object. A relic, one that Dr. Killinger believes is vital to stopping the ghosts that haunt this city. Now we sent you down during the day to retrieve it, but we aren't sure where exactly this relic is. You're going to have to explore Domino City and find it. We've given you coordinates to a few major buildings that should serve as starting points. Try to get this done before night, else you'll be dealing with those ghosts. Jules out."

"Ghosts?!" Anzu exclaimed.

Seto shook his head. "They aren't typical ghosts. Not the ones you're thinking of, probably. You'll see."

Anzu's character shook her head no. "You're cruel, Kaiba. You bring me into a game when I don't even know how to play only to tell me I'll be fighting ghosts…"

Seto scoffed. "You'll be fine," he insisted. He watched as she continued toying with the controls and smirked. _"So far, it seems everything is working, both for her and for me. We can see each other clearly, her movements are fluid, much like the Sergeant's, and she has yet to time out."_ He took a step forward and mentally rejoiced when his screen changed in reaction. _"This is working. This is really working."_

"So…what exactly is taking place here?" Anzu inquired.

Seto smirked. "Check your main objectives."

"And just how the hell do I do that?!"

He bit his lower lip to keep himself from chuckling again; this was swiftly becoming the most entertaining thing he had ever seen in his life. "Press the Select button."

"And where is the—"

A clicking sound cut her off. Seto watched as a holographic map appeared in front of her, and he sighed in relief upon seeing both her marker and his marker on the map. _"Good, the game registers both of us."_ A red blip was also visible on the map, sending out a small circular signal.

"It says at the top, "Head towards one of three marked locations and look for clues as to the whereabouts of the doctor's relic,"" Anzu noted.

"Then that's where we're going."

"Where are we?"

"Where the two markers are." Approaching her, he looked directly at the markers. "Right in front of me."

"Oh, I see. Right…then we…we're going to the closest red circle?"

"We can."

"Then we need to go straight here…then turn right…keep going straight…"

Seto blinked in surprise. _"At least she can read a damn map."_

"Okay, let's do this!" Anzu's map disappeared, and soon she was rushing forward down the street. Seto smirked and chose to follow, taking in his surroundings as he did so.

Tall skyscrapers surrounded them, and a thick haze seemed to cover the sky. Dust, dirt, and pieces of trash blew across the broken gravel streets. Street signs lay in shambles or were completely black with soot. Storefronts were broken down, glass was shattered…it really looked like an abandoned warzone. The sleekness of the graphics took his breath away, and despite having seen the images before him a hundred thousand times before, his heart skipped a beat at the thought that it was all working so smoothly. _"Mokuba and I really did it. This game is working flawlessly. Nothing looks out of place, and everything is running normally. We did it. We really made a working video game."_

"Wait a sec!" Blinking, he stopped and turned to see Anzu standing still. "Let me check the map again! I don't want to miss the street!"

Her behavior caused him to chuckle. "You going to lead in this game?"

"Well you already know what to do and how to beat it! You made it, after all. If you're going to make me play along, I want to experience everything."

"Despite the fact that you can't bring up the map…" he muttered. He could hear her pressing random buttons on the controller, and indeed, he smirked when she brought up the inventory screen instead of the map.

"Dammit, why are the controls so convoluted!?" she exclaimed.

"They aren't. Triangle is your menu, and Select is the map. It's really just two buttons."

"Grrr…" The holographic map soon appeared in front of her, and she sighed in relief before moving her head to get a closer look. "Okay, looks like we have to go straight…let's see…two more streets? Yeah, two more. Then we turn right into the city."

Seto nodded in approval. Her map disappeared, and she began running ahead, with him following behind.

"So Mokuba designed the story of this game then?" she asked, glancing back at him while running forward.

"Yes, he designed the entire narrative," Seto answered. "He also did a lot of the artwork."

"Artwork?"

Seto rolled his eyes at her ignorance. "You don't just start programming things. You first draw out what you want the game, the enemies, the characters, everything to look like on paper. Once we had it down on paper, we then scanned it to the computer and toyed around with various color schemes. It's only after that when we began programming. Otherwise we'd just be wasting time programming things that we may or may not like later down the road."

"I see… And you did all the programming?"

"Most of it."

"Well, I must say, this place looks very realistic. It's actually pretty creepy how real this looks."

"That was the intention."

"Then you succeeded. It really does look awesome...and this...what do you call the headset?"

"An oculus rift."

"Right. Well, it really adds to the game. I just want to look around and take everything in!" They soon came to the designated intersection, and Anzu turned the corner, heading right. "What is the story, exactly? Mokuba only told me bits and pieces of it, but he seemed pretty proud of it nonetheless."

"Players are soldiers of DAGOS, which stands for Defense Against Ghosts and Other Supernaturals," Seto explained. "We are being sent to uncover a relic for Dr. Killinger, a leading scientist who hopes to find a resource humanity can use against the ghosts."

"And why are there ghosts wandering Domino City? Why is our city so destroyed?"

"World War III," answered Seto. "We'll find pieces of information as we progress detailing what happened in this city."

"Don't want to spoil anything, huh?"

"You're the one who said you wanted to take point in order to better experience the game."

"Take…point?"

"Take the front position. Take the lead."

"Oh." She soon came to a stop, and this time it only took a few seconds for her to bring up her map.

"_Well at least she's getting used to checking her location,"_ Seto reflected.

"Two blocks ahead," she noted. Her map disappeared, and she continued running forward. Seto followed behind, doing his best to pay attention to the details of the game around them. The dark, abandoned buildings shimmered in the hazy sunlight. He could hear the pieces of glass and broken gravel crunching beneath his character's heavy footsteps. It all looked so realistic...

He couldn't wait until it became nighttime in the game.

"I'm reading your positions, soldiers," the Sergeant suddenly stated. "The amphitheater should be just up ahead. It is one of the locations the doctor noted may be of interest to you guys. It may be a good idea to go check it out."

"We know that!" Anzu exclaimed. Seto scoffed.

"You don't _have_ to check out the amphitheater," Seto explained. "There are three points of interest given to players at the beginning of the game, and you can choose to go to them in any order. We made the Sergeant speak whenever a player approached a location of interest at this stage in the game to remind players that they are supposed to be moving forward and not just exploring the streets."

"Would anyone really do that?"

"You'd be amazed at what gamers try to get away with. When we made the game, we had to program a barrier around the city to make sure gamers didn't try leaving the area. If you try to leave, you run into the barrier, and the Sergeant yells at you to get back to work."

Anzu laughed. "Wow… That's so silly." Turning to look at the amphitheater, she asked, "Can we go inside?"

"Of course."

"Then let's do it! You got me excited about this; this city looks so interesting."

Not knowing what to say, Seto merely moved his character behind Anzu. They walked past the empty ticket booth, over the crushed glass and faded posters, and a small holographic menu appeared as they approached the double set of doors. It read 'Press O to enter.'

Anzu's character disappeared. Clicking O on his controller, he too was greeted by a black screen before the view of the lobby of the amphitheater greeted him.

"_Now, time for our first mission."_


	9. 9 : The Amphitheater

_Thank you so much for the feedback on the previous chapter! I really appreciate it! You guys are seriously awesome peoplez!_

_Now, on with the story! _

* * *

Chapter 9 : The Amphitheater

"All right, soldier, I see you've entered the amphitheater." The sergeant's voice rang loud and clear through the speakers, and Seto noted his image in the corner of the screen. "I've just received word from Dr. Killinger. He has more information concerning the talisman you'll be looking for. It's a plant or some sort. Small, and should be in surprisingly good condition. I don't know how a plant has managed to live out there for so long, but he thinks it has some property that the ghosts will be interested in. Just be careful; if what he said is true, you may have company. Use your night vision if you're worried."

A message appeared in the center of their screen, indicating the button to press for night vision. Seto clicked it and watched his vision turn green and black. He glanced over at Anzu and smirked upon seeing her inventory screen up.

"Ugh, why do I keep doing that?!" she exclaimed. "Kaiba, what is R3?"

"The right joystick. The one you move to look around with."

"You can press down on it as a button?!"

He scoffed. "Of course. Don't be an idiot."

"Sorry..." He watched as the lids to her helmet closed and reopened. While he couldn't see so much color using night vision, he knew she had changed to night vision as well. "So, we're looking for some sort of plant?" she asked, turning her character to look at him.

"That's what the sergeant said."

"I don't like this night vision. I'm turning it off."

He smirked and watched as she began heading into the amphitheater. He decided to keep his night vision on, taking his time to analyze his surroundings. _"Things still look good," _he noted. _"Still no bugs. This is almost too good to be true... I wasn't _that_ much of a perfectionist programming this game, was I?"_ Remembering all the nights Mokuba yelled at him to go to sleep, he bit his lower lip and thought, _"Well...at least it paid off."_

"How big is this place?" Anzu suddenly asked.

"Not very big, admittedly. We have the lobby, a few viewing rooms, and the second floor management spaces."

"Cool... Where should we go first?"

"You wanted to lead. You decide." He watched as she stood for a minute, taking in her surroundings. He looked up at the faded posters of fake movies, the abandoned snack bar, the broken down arcade. The fluorescent lights above hung by mere wires, threatening to release at any second, and their footsteps echoed off the tile flooring. He smiled when she said, "Kaiba, this looks _too_ realistic. I'm almost creeped out by this."

"You have night vision and a gun. You'll be fine."

"What exactly is the night vision for?"

"To see the ghosts in the dark."

"Can you see them without the night vision? I really don't like it..."

Seto shrugged. "You can, but you won't be able to see their weak points."

"Awww..."

He watched as she slowly approached the arcade room to their right. He followed behind, gazing at the dusty machines and black screens. "Hey, what's this?" she asked, pointing her gun and accidentally firing at a little computer log.

"A narrative cue," he replied. "Pick it up."

"Okay..." She did so after toying a bit with the controls, and a female's voice suddenly began speaking.

"Goddammit, all we wanted was to see the latest horror flick, and they tell us last minute they're not showing it! Oh well. The arcade is still open for some reason. Jack's spending all his money on the racing game. I'm going to go out into the lobby and get some snacks. Hopefully I can find out what's going on with this film. If we can't see it tonight, I'm SO demanding my money back."

The log clicked off. "Who was that?" Anzu inquired.

"A Non-Playable Character. What we call an NPC. We'll find more logs from her in here."

"Interesting... She said the snack bar, right?"

"Yeah."

He watched as Anzu swiftly left the room. He smirked and turned to go in the opposite direction, heading towards the back of the arcade room. Hiding behind one of the machines was a health pack. _"Since she's not going to be on the lookout for these things..."_ He clicked the button to pick it up, and upon examining his inventory, he saw it stored next to the initial med pack. _"Good. Interaction with objects is smooth and instantaneous."_

"Police are everywhere outside," a woman suddenly said over the speakers. It was the same woman who spoke in the computer log. _"She must have picked up the second log out in the lobby…"_ He rushed back out to the lobby to see her standing near the popcorn machine. "Apparently there's another bomb threat. That's three this week. People are just nuts. Why start a war like this? What's there to gain? I just want to see my movie and go home with Jack. But the police are blocking the entrance, so we're stuck here. The manager is handing out free smoothies. I'll get Jack a strawberry one. He'll be hungry eventually."

"Did Mokuba write this dialogue, too?" Anzu asked once the log clicked off.

"We worked on them together."

"Wow... You guys are so creative. I'm serious. This is so impressive. The fact that just the two of you designed this whole world...it's really incredible, Kaiba."

Her sincerity shocked him. "Yeah, well... I mean, we put an awful lot of time into the project. I would hope it turned out well."

"I could imagine. But you two definitely should be proud of this. I'm not even really a video game player, but this is so exciting! I want to check out the upper floor first!"

"That's fine."

He followed her through the "Employees Only" door behind the snack bar and climbed up the short stairwell. "Aw damn, it's so dark up here... Guess you're forcing us to use the night vision?"

"Yes." He waited for her to turn it on before continuing up the stairs. They soon found themselves in a narrow corridor. Anzu began approaching all the doors, and it bothered Seto that she was only taking minor peeks inside before moving on. "You know, you should look out for other items, like med packs and ammunition," Seto warned.

"Why would those things just be lying around?" Anzu countered.

"That's just how games work. You find supplies in the environment."

"Oh..." He watched as she entered the next room, and he followed behind. "Like this?" she asked, pointing and firing at a pack of ammunition on a forgotten desk.

"Yes. And you don't have to fire to aim at something. Just hold the left trigger to zoom in. Click right trigger if you want to shoot."

"Ah, okay. That makes a lot more sense."

She picked up the ammunition, and he turned around and re-entered the corridor. A grumbling sound caught his attention, and he smirked. _"Oh, this is going to be good."_

"What the hell was that?!" Anzu exclaimed. Her character began doing circles, looking in all directions. Seto's smirk widened.

"Oh, I don't know..."

"You're cruel, Kaiba," she repeated. Yet she moved forward down the hallway, aiming her weapon and frantically looking around her surroundings. They soon approached a large, burnt doorway that read above "Manager's Office." They both entered, and Anzu exclaimed, "Found it! Wow, that was easy!"

Seto chuckled. She swiftly ran up to the manager's desk, clearly ignoring the skeleton of the manager sitting in the office chair. On the desk was a small capsule containing what appeared to be a simple plant, a few leaves inside visible from his position. The capsule was made of steel and glowed, but a piece of glass verified that the plant was indeed inside. Next to it was another computer log. Anzu picked it up.

"Three hours, and the cops still aren't letting us out," said the woman from before. "I'm so scared. Jack isn't helping; he's tired and wants to go home. He spent all his coins on the game, like I thought, and even drank his smoothie. He wants to go home...and I want to go home. Why can't we leave?" An explosion could be heard through the computer log, faint but audible. "Wh-wh-what?! What was that?! Oh my God, I just want to go home... I just want to go home..."

The computer log faded out. "Wow..." Anzu muttered. "How sad."

Seto remained silent. He watched as Anzu approached the plant and picked it up. The sergeant's image soon appeared in the corner of the screen. "You got the talisman? Good work, soldier. Now get out of-"

The grumbling noise cut off the transmission, and soon Seto could see the tentacles crawling their way through the wall. "What in the world is that?!" Anzu shouted, aiming her gun and firing at the wall. The grumbling turned into a screech, and Seto aimed in order to zoom in at the creature.

"This is our first boss," he answered.

The creature was creepy to look at through the night vision, and he swiftly turned it off to get a better look. Its outline was a shade of blue that went back and forth between dark blue and transparent. Being a ghost, the enemies were designed to be 70-80 percent transparent; only their outlines and some distinctive features could be seen without night vision. But what he could see looked fantastic. Its eyes were wide, a deep shade of blue, and they stared at the two in hunger. Two thick, curly tusks protruded out of the wall, and soon the skeleton holding the tusks and eyes appeared behind. It looked like a mammoth's skull protruding from the wall. It reached out with thick tentacles at the two, one for each of them. Anzu gasped and bolted across the room.

"What the hell do we do?!"

"Kill it!" Aiming his weapon, he immediately began firing at the creature. The ghost's health bar appeared at the top of his screen, and as he shot at it, the ghost groaned in agony. He moved his character around in order to avoid getting hit by the tentacle, which was doing its best to wrap itself around Seto and suck his life out.

"Gah, what the-? What is this? What do I do?!" He could hear her erratic shots, and when he turned to look at her, he saw the tentacle hit her character, knocking her to the ground.

"Just keep moving and aim at its eyes," Seto instructed.

"G-Got it!" Returning his attention to the boss, he physically flinched when the tentacle hit him square in the face, blinding his vision with a dark blue shade for a split second. Aiming his gun, he began firing rapidly. Anzu seemed to have gotten the hang of it, for her shots quickly became more evenly timed, and he watched as the boss's health began to rapidly deteriorate. Within another minute, the creature's health disappeared. It gave out a great cry before disappearing permanently, leaving behind a light blue residue on the walls.

"Good work, soldier!" the sergeant stated, his image reappearing. "I couldn't get a hold of you - I assume you ran into one of those ghosts? Blue bastards... Somehow they always manage to disrupt our communication lines. The doctor has a theory about that, too, but… Anyway, get that plant and head to the center of town, near the shrine. I'll mark it on your map. We'll pick you up and get you the hell out of there. Sergeant Jules out."

He could hear Anzu's heavy breathing. Turning to face her character, he asked, "So, what do you think?"

"I think, Kaiba, that you are _really, really_ cruel."

He couldn't help but chuckle at her comment.

"But, that being said..." He watched as she picked up the plant and aimed at his character. "...I think you've done what Yugi and the gang could never do."

At the mere mention of the Geek Squad, Seto frowned. "What's that?"

"Get me hooked to a video game." Seto remained silent for a minute, merely staring at Anzu's character, not knowing exactly what to say. _"So what? I'm being compared with Yugi and his gang now?"_ When he heard movement outside the game's coding, he blinked in surprise and swiftly lifted his oculus rift. He saw that Anzu was shifting around in her seat, removing her own oculus rift and setting the controller aside.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I wanted to see what time it was," she explained, smiling at him. "Besides, I'm a little hungry. Mind if I get something to eat? It is..." Her eyes widened in shock as her gaze landed on the clock hanging above the game shelves. "Already ten thirty?! Holy cow!"

Seto smirked. "Welcome to video gaming, where the hours fly by, and you have no idea where they went."

"Geez, at this rate, I'm going to be late for classes."

He frowned. "When do you have to leave?"

"Oh, that's just an exaggeration. I don't have to leave until after Mokuba gets here. But honestly, I'm going to go get something to eat. Just a small snack or something; I didn't eat as big a breakfast as I should have this morning. Would you like something?"

Without even thinking, Seto set his controller and oculus rift aside, placed his hands on the armrests of his wheelchair, and went to stand. A sudden burst of pain shot through his leg up to his chest, and he gasped in shock. His eyes widened, and he swiftly leaned back and grabbed onto the armrests. Inhaling a sharp breath of air to steady himself, he cursed under his breath at his own stupidity.

"Kaiba!" Anzu rushed to his side, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Kaiba, don't worry, I can get you something to eat if you're hungry. Just...sit down. Don't push yourself."

He slowly did, the shame from earlier this morning now back in full force.

"What would you like to eat?"

He swallowed and muttered, "Just a glass of water."

"Nothing else? No food?"

"Just water."

She looked at him for a good minute before exiting the room. Once she disappeared around the corner and down the hallway, Seto sighed heavily and shook his head. _"I can only walk in the video game..."_ he thought to himself. _"Not...not in the real world. Not right now."_ Biting his lip at the pain in his leg, he slowly looked over at the sofa to see Anzu's controller and oculus rift.

_"At least she's enjoying herself. Though that's really the least of my concerns. For now, my priority is to make sure the game functions. And so far, it's running better than I could have imagined. No glitches, nothing that is choppy or seems clunky."_ Staring at her controller, he smirked and thought, _"If she panicked that much at the first boss, imagine what she's going to be like later down the road…"_


	10. 10 : Lunch

Chapter 10 : Lunch

A slight breeze brushed against her skin. Anzu took in a large breath of fresh air and smiled up at the clear, blue sky. It was a gorgeous spring day; the birds could be heard chirping, the green grass surrounding the Kaiba manor seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, and the silence of the area added to the overall serenity of the scene.

She smiled as she leaned against the side of her car. _"This isn't as bad as I thought it would be,"_ she reflected as she folded her arms over her chest. _"Kaiba was actually pretty hospitable yesterday, considering our past. He didn't have to invite me to play the game with him, and while he seemed to take some absurd pleasure in seeing me struggle in the game, he nevertheless helped me and even let me, oh, what did he call it? Take point?"_ She chuckled, remembering all the times Yugi told them that Kaiba had to be a good person deep inside to raise a kid like Mokuba. _"It's strange. When he played Duel Monsters those few years ago, he was so obsessed with winning the game that he seemed to become blind to all emotions. But in our game yesterday, he was different. We were cooperatively playing the game. He helped me beat that boss, and we even managed to get through a second area. The library. Man, that was freaky."_ Shivering at the memory of the tentacles of ghosts coming through the bookshelves, she frowned and shook her head. _"Who would have thought Mokuba could come up with stuff like that?"_

"Miss Mazaki?"

A soft, feminine voice caught her attention. She blinked in surprise and swiftly turned towards the entrance of the manor. Standing in the doorway was a tall, graceful young girl with long black hair and black bangs. Her circular glasses reflected the sunshine, and she bowed towards Anzu before saying, "My name is Irika."

"Irika...?"

"Yes. I am the Kaiba family's maid." Rising, she stepped aside before waving in the direction of the door. "I just received a call from Mr. Kaiba. He has asked to have lunch outside in the gardens behind the manor. I am to take you back to the gardens to wait until he arrives."

"O-Oh, okay..." Not knowing what else to say, she mutely followed the maid into the manor. Irika closed the door shut behind them before walking forward.

"The doorway leading out into the gardens is just down through this room," Irika stated, gesturing towards the massive living room in front of them. They walked through, Irika gracefully gliding between the furniture, before they approached a glass sliding door. Irika pushed it open and stepped aside, allowing Anzu passage. Somewhat embarrassed, Anzu nodded before stepping back out into the sunshine. Irika followed behind, closing the door behind them, before motioning towards a cobblestone pathway. "This way."

Following behind the maid, Anzu fidgeted slightly before asking, "So, um...h-how long have you been working for Kaiba?"

"I began when he took over KaibaCorp," the maid replied. It freaked Anzu out how monotone her voice was.

"O-Oh really...?"

"Yes."

_"She makes Kaiba look talkative."_ "U-Um...what did you do before working for Kaiba?"

"I'd rather not remember."

_That_ took her offguard. Her eyes widened, and she watched as the maid stopped and pointed at an ornate, wrought iron table with some cushioned chairs. "You may sit."

Anzu slowly did so, sliding into the seat. Irika bowed. "What would you like to drink?" she asked.

"Um...wh-whatever Kaiba will be having."

"That will be black hot tea. Is this okay?"

"Yeah."

She nodded, and Anzu noted the slightest trace of a smile cross her lips. "Do not think badly of Mr. Kaiba. It is my understanding you are to take care of him these next few weeks. I know he can have a temper...but he has nowhere near the temper his step-father had."

Irika bowed again before taking her leave. Anzu merely sat, stunned by the maid's words. _"Does she often tells visitors this? Where did that even come from?"_ A sudden breeze blew, and she shivered slightly before glancing out to her left. A large pool was built into the ground, the water made neon blue with chorline rippling with the breeze, while surrounding her were tall hedges, as if she were in a maze. Roses, carnations, and other flowers were planted along the hedge rows, filling the air with a charming fragrance. _"This is so picturesque...so beautiful..."_

She could hear footsteps returning, and she watched as the maid swiftly brought over a porcelain tray. On top was a pitcher of hot tea, two cups, a glass tray of teabags, and some cream. She set the tray down in the center of the table and bowed. "I...apologize," she muttered. "I should not have spoken. It has been so long, you see, since we had anyone, and I... I sometimes forget my place."

"O-Oh, it's... Don't worry about it," Anzu remarked. "Trust me, no worries."

Irika nodded again. "I just... I know Mr. Kaiba has a bad reputation outside of this manor, but he has a very kind soul deep underneath."

Anzu smiled. "I'm sure he does..."

"I remember, when he first came here, how he used to always smile. He had such a gorgeous smile. Even now, when he doesn't smile, if you look hard enough, you can see his eyes smiling. He hides it so well, but it's there." Anzu looked at her curiously. She looked to be no older than Anzu herself, yet she talked as though she was an old woman. Shivering at the slight breeze, Irika quickly said, "I-I'm sorry, I do not mean to bore you. I must go and get lunch ready. Mr. Kaiba should be here momentarily. Please pour yourself a glass of tea in the meantime." Curtsying, she swiftly left Anzu to her own devices.

_"She's a...strange one." _Anzu poured herself a nice, hot cup and shrugged. It was only a few minutes before she heard the sound of wheels against cobblestone. Turning in her seat, she smiled and waved at Kaiba, who was being pushed by Irika towards her. "Hey there," she greeted. She watched as Irika pushed him around the table, sitting him across from her. Irika then bowed and quickly left. "How are you doing?"

"Tired."

Anzu blinked. His voice sounded faded, and she only realized then that his eyes were closed. His chest was rising and falling in a slightly exaggerated manner, and seeing his eyes open, she noticed that the blue was somewhat duller than usual. "You...all right?" she inquired.

"I'm fine," he answered. If he meant it to sound threatening, it didn't come out that way.

"I take it physical therapy didn't go so well?"

"No... It didn't. They had me pedal for a bit, then put me on a treadmill. I feel like I ran a marathon."

Anzu frowned. "I'm sorry..."

He waved his hand as if to brush the comment aside. "You didn't do anything. I think they want me out of this thing as fast as possible. Not that I don't want to be out of it, but..." Hearing footsteps once more, she glanced over to see Irika bringing another tray, this one covered in little pieces of sushi. She set it down between the two before placing two pairs of chopsticks and a little bottle of soy sauce next to them. She then deftly poured Kaiba a cup of tea before patting his shoulder. He glanced up at her and muttered, "Bring me some pain killers."

"Of course."

Anzu watched as she walked away before turning her attention to the pieces of sushi. Kaiba was sitting perfectly still, and she doubted he had an appetite. "Which sushi do you like the most?" she asked, trying to start some sort of conversation. "I'll be sure not to take those."

Kaiba sighed heavily and pushed himself up in his chair. He then grabbed the chopsticks with his left hand before taking a sip of his tea. "I don't care," he replied, using his chopsticks to clumsily pick up the nearest piece. Irika reappeared and placed a few pills next to his cup before leaving them alone. A heavy silence hung in the air, and Anzu watched as he shoved the pills in his mouth and swallowed them dry.

_"He looks so tired...so exhausted. As if the weight of the world is on his shoulders..."_ Taking her own chopsticks, she slowly ate a piece of red tuna and some rice before deciding to try another conversation. "Irika seems very nice."

Kaiba nodded in agreement.

"She said she's been working for you ever since you took over KaibaCorp."

His movements halted, and his eyes shot up at Anzu. Some of the dullness seemed to die away. "She...said what?"

Anzu blinked in surprise. _"Oh shoot... Am I going to get her in trouble?"_

"She usually doesn't even talk with guests," Seto noted, taking another bite of sushi. "I'm surprised she told you that."

"Sh-She just said...that she began working for you when you became the CEO." Embarrassed, she swiftly added, "She's very polite."

Kaiba eyed her cautiously before shrugging his shoulders. "Yes, she is."

"Mokuba said she takes care of the gardens, as well. This area looks so lovely...she must be a great gardener."

"Yes." His one-word answers were annoying her despite knowing his reasons for not wanting to talk were valid. He was tired. She knew the feeling. There were plenty of nights after dancing where she just wanted to be left alone, to crawl under the covers and fall asleep. She briefly wondered if she should just quit trying when he suddenly said, "Mokuba told me you have dance lessons every night. How are they going?"

Anzu's eyes widened. "U-Um, they're going well. Very well, actually."

"Mokuba said you have a solo?"

"Yes. I'm performing in four dances with a group of 10 other girls, and then I have a solo."

"I take it there is a recital of some sort?"

"Yes, about two months from now."

He nodded in understanding before taking another bite of sushi. He suddenly flinched, however, and Anzu watched as he slowly leaned back in his wheelchair and heavily sighed. "You okay?"

"No, I'm not," he answered harshly. "I…didn't sleep well last night. Didn't feel up to physical therapy this morning, and then they put me on that damn treadmill."

She blinked in shock. "Do you want me to get Irika?"

"No..." Closing his eyes, he inhaled and slowly exhaled before turning to look at her. Anzu thought she saw a bead of sweat forming along his brow, but he wiped it away before she could be sure. "Did Mokuba tell you what happened to me?"

"He said that a car hit you while you were riding your motorcycle, that you were pinned between the bike and a car."

Kaiba nodded. "Now I have a broken arm, a twisted leg, and a chest that feels like it's sometimes going to give out."

"Do they know who did it?"

"Of course. There were more than a dozen people involved in the crash, and who knows how many witnesses."

"Are you pressing charges?"

To her amazement, Kaiba shook his head no. "Two couples are already suing him, and he's going to jail anyway for driving under the influence. I would be adding to what's already a life sentence. There's no reason to waste money on useless people like that."

Anzu nodded. "You're right. It's best to just try to move on from those kinds of things."

Kaiba nodded as well before sighing and setting his chopsticks down. "You can have the rest," he muttered, pushing the tray towards her. "I don't have the stomach right now for this."

"You sure...?" There were still six pieces of sushi remaining.

"I'm sure. I'm lucky to have been able to eat those three."

Taking a piece of shrimp, she slowly ate it before asking, "What did you have planned for today?"

"I was going to continue beta testing the game," he explained. "But now... I don't know. I really should, but I'm dizzy." Finishing his cup of tea, he set the glass down, closed his eyes, and muttered, "Really dizzy."

"Want me to push you inside? You can rest for a bit and see if you feel better in the afternoon. It is only 10:00, after all."

He stared a good, long minute at the tray of sushi before glancing back towards the manor and waving his hand. Anzu blinked and turned to see Irika swiftly approaching them. Once she stood next to the table, he said, "Anzu is going to take me inside. Put the sushi in the refrigerator for later, and bring the tea into the study room."

"Right away, Mr. Kaiba."

Anzu stood from her seat and walked around him. Releasing the brakes, she swiftly pushed him down the pathway, up a small ramp, and through the open glass sliding door. Avoiding all the furniture, she turned left and pushed him down the hallway before coming to the entranceway of the study. She managed to get him to the sofa and watched as he carefully lifted himself up and laid down, lifting his legs one by one until he was positioned comfortably. The sound of movement caught her attention, and she watched as Yuki the cat swiftly approached the sofa and jumped up next to Kaiba. Anzu chuckled. "Your little friend..."

"My only friend," Seto corrected. He placed his hand behind her head and scratched behind her ears before sighing heavily and closing his eyes. "Feel free to do whatever," he muttered. "I'm going to rest. Try to wake me up in an hour if I manage to fall asleep."

Smiling softly, Anzu found the blanket Mokuba had used the first night she came over, picked it up, and spread it over Kaiba. She then leaned down in front of him before brushing a few bangs aside, but something seemed wrong. She ran a hand through his brown locks. His eyelids slowly opened, ever so slightly, revealing a trace of blue underneath, before closing. Her smile vanished. She ran her hand through his hair again. It felt slightly wet, and she watched a bead of sweat roll down his face. "Kaiba...?" Placing a hand along his forehead, she blinked in surprise at how hot it was. That's when she realized what was wrong.

Kaiba wasn't tired. Kaiba was sick.


	11. 11 : Sleeping In

_This chapter was surprisingly difficult to get down - I had a few ideas on how the conversations would play out, and I think this is the best of my three (yes, three) drafts. I hope you like it!_

* * *

Chapter 11 : Sleeping In

Despite knowing he was awake, he felt similar to when he first woke up in the hospital, as if he wasn't really all there. His head was spinning, his stomach reeling. A slight shiver went down his spine, and he pulled the blanket closer to him. He could hear Yuki's purring next to him, and he smiled slightly before reaching out and petting her. "Hey kitty," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. She meowed at him. He had half a mind to open his eyes but thought better of it. His body felt like it was on fire, yet something told him the blanket was doing more good than harm. He let it remain, ignoring his sweat. He felt a mess and suddenly wanted a hot bath. The idea of getting up, however, kept him from calling out for Irika's help.

"Bring it in here. I'm going to wake him up for dinner."

Seto frowned. _"Who is that…?"_

He listened as footsteps echoed down the hallway. "He has to eat something, even if it's small. I'm not letting him starve tonight."

Seto opened his eyes upon recognizing the voice. _"Mokuba?!" _He shot up and immediately regretted it. His stomach knotted, and for a split second, he thought he was going to vomit. He wrapped his arms around his waist and leaned to the side against the cushions. Yuki, disturbed by his movements, stretched before looking up at him with wide eyes. He glanced over, frowned, and shook his head. "Why do I feel like shit, Yuki?" he questioned. The cat meowed again.

"Seto?"

Turning to look at the entrance into the study, Seto saw his younger brother standing with Irika. He weakly waved over to them. "What are you doing home, Mokuba?" he asked, wiping another bead of sweat from his face.

Mokuba chuckled. "School only lasts so long, Seto."

He frowned and glanced at the clock. His eyes widened in horror when he recognized the time. _"6:45?!"_ "But I told Anzu..."

"Anzu made the chief decision to let you sleep in," Mokuba explained as he walked over towards the sofa. Slinking down into Seto's wheelchair, he helped Irika slide a footrest over to serve as a makeshift table. Seto watched as she placed a tray of sushi similar to the one he had for lunch in front of them. "I figured a light dinner would be good for you, Big Bro. You may feel sick, but you gotta eat something."

"Thanks..." Seto muttered. "Though she should have woken me up."

"She said she tried to once, but you were out cold."

"I don't think cold is the right word..."

Mokuba nodded in understanding. Grabbing a pair of chopsticks, he handed another over to Seto before taking a bite of white tuna.

"So...how was school?" Seto asked. Despite his stomach lurching inside, he felt the slight pang of hunger and picked up a piece of shrimp.

"Boring, as usual. Mrs. Ikio didn't like my paper in American history, and Mr. Nomina told me I was the quickest student he ever had in chemistry. I turned in my art assignment today for Mr. Bika as well, and he said he was very impressed with my work."

Seto nodded to indicate he was listening as he slowly chewed on the piece of shrimp. His mouth felt dry, and swallowing was a painful process, but he ate it anyway.

"Otherwise, it was just a typical day. At least until coming home."

Seto frowned. "If I woke up as I should have, I would have called you ahead of time to let you know how I was feeling."

Mokuba waved his hand. "It's okay. I would much rather you sleep than wake up just to call me. Though watching Anzu freak out was pretty interesting."

Seto's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?" he asked, grabbing another piece of sushi as he did so. Irika had since returned bearing two cups of cool green tea, and she set them down in front of them before exiting the room once more.

"When I came home, she was looking all over the place for a phone book," Mokuba explained, chewing a bit of rice before continuing. "Apparently she had called her friend who helps with physical therapy at the dance studio, and she and her friend came to the conclusion that the doctors are forcing you into recovery rather than helping you. Anzu thinks they're trying to prove something by getting you to recover faster than normal, probably to make a name for themselves or something. But when I got here, she was _livid_."

"Why would she care so much about it? She's just here to keep me company."

"If you had seen yourself earlier, I think you'd understand."

Seto scoffed. "I know how I _feel_; I don't need to see myself in a mirror."

"Then you get it. She said you all but passed out on the sofa and that you barely touched lunch. When she had Irika take your temperature, you were nearly 101. She didn't know if she wanted to take you back to the doctor's since they were the ones who caused it, and I think talking with her friend kinda worked her up."

"You don't really think the doctors gave me a fever, do you?"

Mokuba shrugged. "You don't normally get sick," he pointed out. "And I do think those doctors are pushing you a little too hard. She mentioned over the phone how they put you on a treadmill."

"The phone? Who was she talking to?"

"Dr. Kota."

Seto nearly dropped his chopsticks. Sighing heavily, he placed his head in his hand. "She _really_ called the doctor over this?"

Mokuba chuckled. "She more shouted at him than called him, but yeah, I let her call."

"You let her call?"

"Yeah." He continued chuckling as he took a sip of his drink. "And it was pretty funny. She was all like, "He can barely walk, and you put him on a treadmill?! How is that going to help him recover?! How is giving him a fever helping anyone in this situation?!" Oh man, was she angry."

"My physical therapy is none of her damn business," Seto remarked harshly. "Why she felt the need to get involved is-"

"She was just worried about you, Seto," Mokuba countered. "And quite frankly, I wouldn't have let her call Dr. Kota unless I thought she meant well. Plus her friend had some good points concerning your physical therapy."

"Even so, I'm going to be the one to pay the price tomorrow."

Mokuba smirked. "Oh, I doubt that. I don't know which threat is more real to the doctors right now: the threat of you flipping out on them, or the threat of Anzu doing the same."

Glancing back over at the sushi, Seto shook his head before grabbing another piece of sushi, this one being salmon. "I just don't get why she cares."

"She just wants to see you healthy again, Seto. We all do."

"Yes, but I was rude to her and haven't talked to her in years."

"Yeah, but you also helped her a couple times. Remember Battle City?"

Seto growled. "I wish I could forget."

"Well, at any rate, you helped her a few times, and she's always been a caring person."

Seto rolled his eyes. "I don't get it..." Mokuba shrugged before taking a bite of sushi. The two sat in silence for a moment before Seto muttered, "I suppose I still have to pay her. I keep forgetting to do so."

"How much are you going to pay her?"

Seto frowned. "I don't know..."

"She _is_ taking most of her day up to watch over you, Big Bro. Don't forget. That's a big deal when she spends most of her night dancing, too."

Seto frowned. "What does she normally do during the day that I'm keeping her from?"

"Exercise. Practice. She told me she's usually outside doing something."

"Why?"

Mokuba frowned slightly. "She doesn't live in a very good neighborhood. Her apartment isn't the best, so she likes spending her time away."

Seto sat for a minute, taking in the information as he sipped his drink. It felt cool in his hand and seemed to be helping, along with the sushi, to clear some of his mind. "Whatever happened to her gang of friends?" he inquired. "Where are they? I can't imagine Yugi letting Anzu live in someplace dangerous."

"It's not so much dangerous as just run-down. She had to move out with the little money she had after high school."

"Why?"

Mokuba shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't ask." Smirking, he added, "You can ask her tomorrow, if you want."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever..."

"But seriously, pay her well. This is a big favor she's doing for us, after all."

"I know... Though she still should be minding her own damn business."

Mokuba chuckled. "I'm telling you, Big Brother, you should have seen her. She was _super_ pissed. Oh, and she's picking you up tomorrow instead of Roland."

Seto's head shot up at that. "What? Why? Who made that decision?"

"Anzu and I," Mokuba answered casually. "She wanted to come early to make sure they weren't pushing you."

Seto sighed in defeat. "She does know she's not my mother, right? Her job is to watch me here, not follow me through the whole day."

Mokuba again shrugged. "I didn't see a problem with it."

Seto had to bite his tongue back. _"Of course you don't. You're friends with her. Which is fine, I don't care, but she's not my friend. She's here to make sure I don't fall and die on the floor. Not to get involved in things that are none of her concern."_

Setting his chopsticks down, Mokuba yawned and stretched his arms. "I'm gonna go do some homework," he explained. "I also want to draw some designs for marketing our game. I think I've come up with some cool things during art class today."

Seto smiled, remembering the game. "It's working well so far," he stated. "I played some of it yesterday, and it's running quite smoothly."

Mokuba's smile widened. "That's awesome!" he exclaimed. "Man, I can't wait to see it! We should play some now!"

Seto's smile faded slightly. He felt a little better, but he knew an oculus rift virtual reality simulator would make him vomit within seconds. "Let's wait until I'm not feeling sick," Seto said. "Besides, you have homework, and I need to take a bath. I feel like I'm drenched in sweat."

Mokuba nodded in understanding. Standing, he glanced over and asked, "Seto...are you angry that I let Anzu call Dr. Kota?"

Seto sighed. "You'll find out tomorrow." When Mokuba's eyebrows rose in confusion, Seto added, "If I'm put on that treadmill again, you're hearing all about it."


	12. 12 : Cordial

Chapter 12 : Cordial

"All right, Mr. Kaiba, you are done for the day," a young, male doctor stated. Dr. Akika was his name. It wasn't Dr. Kota. Seto had yet to see Dr. Kota all morning, and he had the sneaking suspicion he wouldn't be seeing the man for the rest of the day, if not the rest of the week.

"Thanks," he muttered, taking his leg out of the strap.

"Are you feeling any better from last night?"

"A little."

The doctor nodded in understanding. "Take today to rest as well. By tomorrow, you should be back to normal." Moving the yoga ball away, he set his clipboard aside and smiled down at him. "You're doing exceptionally well, all things considered," Akika noted. Seto pulled the wheelchair forward and mentally thanked Akika when he held it still for him. He moved from the chair he was in to the wheelchair. Akika then handed him a cup of water, which he eagerly took. "I honestly think that, if it weren't for your hand, you would be able to push yourself around easily in that wheelchair."

"How long will I be in this damn thing?" he asked, situating himself slightly. He grabbed a nearby towel and brushed some beads of sweat from his brow.

"Possibly one or two more days," Akika answered, shocking Seto. "Your leg is recovering, but it needs strength. It hasn't been used in awhile, at least not for long periods of time. I'd like to monitor you for one more day before making a decision on when you'll be moving from a wheelchair to a cane."

Seto nearly choked on his water. Setting it down, he repeated, "A...cane?"

"One step at a time, as they say," Akika remarked. "You can't go from a wheelchair to a marathon. The cane will be the most difficult step, but afterwards, you're home free."

Seto bit his lower lip. That was not the news he wanted to hear.

"Are you ready, then?" Akika asked. "Is your driver waiting in the lobby?"

"Yes," he answered, finishing his cup of water and setting it down on a nearby bench. He waited as the doctor smiled and walked around his wheelchair. Soon he felt himself being pushed forward and sighed.

He wasn't sure how happy he was at the prospect of seeing Anzu. He wanted to discuss with her what happened yesterday...and how he owed her one. _"Today was completely different,"_ he reflected as he was pushed down the white, sterile hallway. A few doctors walked by, looking at their notes or gossiping. Dr. Kota was nowhere to be found. _"This guy, Akika, had me do slow stretches for nearly twenty minutes before having me walk with the support of a railing. It was much slower, and it still hurt like hell, but it felt...different. Like I was actually working on fixing this damn muscle, not training for a triathalon. And he even told me some steps to do at home to continue building the strength. Physical therapy wasn't treated as an isolated incident."_

Whatever Anzu had said, it worked. It was the first day Seto left feeling like his leg would recover, perhaps even sooner than expected. _"But that means I have to admit to her that she was right...that it was okay for her to get involved in my affairs."_

And that hurt almost as much as the dull throbbing in his leg.

Coming out into the lobby, he saw Anzu sitting in one of the leather chairs reading a magazine. She glanced up at hearing the sound of wheels, smiled at him, and swiftly tossed the magazine aside before standing to approach him. "Is that your driver?" Dr. Akika asked.

"Yes," he answered. He turned and watched as the doctor smiled, nodded, and turned to leave. Anzu had since walked up to him and smiled down at him.

"Take care, Mr. Kaiba. And remember those stretches I told you about."

Seto nodded before turning his attention to Anzu.

"How did it go?"

"Better," Seto answered, watching as she walked around him and began pushing him out the front, sliding doors. "Though I heard from Mokuba I have you to thank for that."

"What did they have you doing?"

"They paired me with a new doctor who had me doing leg stretches for roughly twenty minutes before practicing with the help of a railing."

"They didn't put you on the treadmill?"

He smirked and shook his head. "They didn't put me on the treadmill."

"Good. Else I would have to yell at them again."

Crossing the street, they entered the parking lot, and Seto saw her approaching her old, slightly beat-up green car. _"Don't complain,"_ he told himself. _"You recovered from a fever in a night and was able to get through physical therapy because of her today. You owe her one, whether you like it or not."_

He watched as she opened the passenger door, and he slowly pushed himself up to a standing position. Hissing in pain, he grabbed onto the side of the car. "Kaiba, I could have helped you!" Anzu exclaimed, staring in shock at him.

"Dr. Akika said I should start standing up on my own," he explained. "It's only a few steps." Anzu frowned but nodded in understanding. He hobbled forward, using the side of the vehicle for support, and managed to get into the seat. Bringing both legs in, he swung the car door shut with his left hand and listened as she folded up the wheelchair, putting it in the trunk of the vehicle. She then walked around and slid into the driver's side, buckling up and placing the key in the ignition.

"You thirsty?" she suddenly asked.

He blinked at the question. "Why?"

"I was thinking in the lobby, I could go for a smoothie right about now. It's a surprisingly warm, humid morning. We could go through the drive-thru someplace. That way you don't have to get out of the vehicle. We can take them home, and you can do whatever it is you have to do."

Once again, her response stunned him. _"She actually considers my position when making a decision. Since when did this happen?"_ Realizing she was waiting for a response as she backed out of the parking space, he muttered, "Sure."

"Great!" He looked out the window as they passed by the hospital, and soon they were on the main road heading into Domino. "What plans do you have for today?" she asked, peeking over him as she drove.

He turned to look at her. She was wearing a pair of jeans with a bright pink shirt, and several neon-colored, rubber bracelets jangled around her wrists. Looking down at his black shirt and pants, he mentally noted how opposing they must have looked. _"God, I must be tired if I'm thinking about that."_

"You okay?"

He frowned and nodded. "Yeah, why?"

She shrugged. "You just didn't answer my question."

Remembering what she asked, he sighed and said, "I really need to beta test the game today. We're behind a bit because of my accident as it is, and then with being sick yesterday, I have even more I need to get through today."

Anzu nodded in understanding. "A good day to relax, at any rate."

He decided to be cordial. "What...about you?"

Anzu shrugged. "Honestly, I don't have a whole lot planned. I did some warm-ups this morning. Figured today I could watch you play the game, unless you want me to keep playing along with you."

He smirked. "You weren't freaked out in the library?"

She playfully growled. "I can't tell if it was you or Mokuba who thought of those creatures, but both of you have a sick sense of humor to have books come flying out at you in a video game like that."

Seto chuckled. "That was Mokuba. Though I thought of the idea to have the ghosts in the bookshelves."

"How did you two even come up with the idea? It seems so original and well done." Chuckling, she sarcastically added, "Like I'm someone who plays science fiction video games all the time."

"I already told you, Mokuba designed the plot of the story. He's very creative with his writing, and he had to write an abstract for a novel he could write if he had to for class. He ended up spending the whole night on the project, designing characters, the world, everything. The teacher was highly impressed. I've been wanting to break into the video game industry for awhile, but I'm not creative like him. I'm good with numbers and machines. He told me all about the story, and a day later I asked if he wanted to turn it into a video game."

"Wow..."

Seto glanced out the window as they turned into what appeared to be a yogurt and milkshake joint. He briefly wondered if it was even open, given the fact that it was nine in the morning. Anzu pulled through the drive-thru and lowered her window. "Welcome to Suki's Smoothies, may I take your order?" a woman asked through a machine.

"I'll have...a strawberry banana smoothie, with whipped cream," Anzu answered. Turning to look at Seto, she asked, "What do you want?"

Leaning forward, he glanced at the childish, colorful menu and scoffed. There was no way he could decipher all the options in a matter of seconds. "I'll just take the same." He reached into his pocket and pulled out some cash.

"Two strawberry banana smoothies," Anzu corrected.

"Both with whipped cream?"

"Both with whipped cream."

"The price should appear on the board. Come around; it will be done in a minute."

"Thanks!" Anzu pulled around the building and smiled over at Seto only to blink in surprise at the cash. "What is that for?"

"For the smoothies."

"Oh, it's-"

"-Take it," he interrupted. "Besides, I still have to pay you for the past few days, and if you keep driving me around, I'll cover gas as well."

"Kaiba, it's-"

"Take it."

The woman in the smoothie joint set two smoothies down and opened the window. He watched as Anzu took the cash and handed it to the woman, who deftly got the necessary change from the register before handing both the change and the smoothies over. "Thanks for visiting! Have a nice day!" The window was closed, and Anzu placed the tray of smoothies in Seto's lap.

"Can you hold this until we get to the manor?"

The cold felt good on Seto's leg, and he nodded.

"Okay. And...thanks."

He waved his hand. "It's nothing." Then, before he knew what he was doing, he asked, "How was practice last night?"

The rest of the ride home, Anzu talked about her dance lessons, about the person she had talked with concerning Seto's physical therapy, and about the kids she taught. And Seto spent the rest of the ride home wondering if he was actually interested in her affairs due to the knowledge of her involvement in improving his physical therapy...or because he still felt a little ill.

He still didn't have an answer when they finally pulled into the long driveway leading to the Kaiba manor.


	13. 13 : The Serpent

_Hey, I just wanted to take this time out to thank you all for the support thus far! Your views, favoriting, and comments are so appreciated! Thank you so much!_

* * *

Chapter 13 : The Serpent

She glanced down at the controller, doing her best to remember the controls. It had been a day since she played, and she still wasn't used to all the button combinations. _"Let's see... It was... Select was Map, I remember that."_ Glancing over at Kaiba, she smiled slightly and mentally chuckled.

He was placing the oculus rift around his eyes before taking the controller in his hand. Reaching over, he grabbed his smoothie and took a long sip before setting it back down. Yuki had meanwhile made herself home on the armrest between the two, wagging her tail back and forth as she meowed at Kaiba. "What's wrong, Yuki?" he asked, reaching out to pet her. She purred in response.

The whole scene went against everything she knew of Kaiba. What was once the multibillionaire, ruthless Duel Monsters champion, only one step down from Yugi, was now just a young adult gamer. _"I wonder if this side of him was always there, or if making this game has brought out a lighter part,"_ she thought as she strapped on the oculus rift. Seeing the main menu, she watched as the cursor went down to **Load Game.** She frowned and felt her controller. "Am...I doing anything?" she asked, worried she had already screwed up.

"No, I'm controlling the main menu since I'm the first player," Kaiba answered.

"Phew, I was worried there."

She could hear Kaiba chuckle as he taunted, "No, you haven't screwed up yet." She took a sip of her drink and watched as a loading screen appeared before turning black. Her vision was at first blurred, but soon she could clearly see the ruins of Domino City, with Kaiba's character standing in front of her. "All right, we went to the amphitheater and the library," he explained. "There is one more area we can visit, or we can go to our main destination."

"You still want me to lead?" she asked, somewhat surprised.

"Might as well."

"Umm..." Pressing Select, she glanced at the map. The target for their main destination was closer than the side mission, but... "Don't you want to check everywhere out for beta testing purposes?"

"We'll cover that place one time or another," Kaiba vaguely replied. "And we honestly already missed some things. I'm going to have Mokuba play the game on his own over the weekend to test it on his own file. I just want to make sure the main story works and that multiplayer is smooth during our game."

"Oh. Well, then, um... Let's just head to the main destination."

"Sounds good." Moving her character forward, she moved her head around in order to take in their surroundings. They were in the middle of a square, with what looked like a bombed-out cafe to the right and an abandoned clothing store behind them. Above them, thunderstorm clouds were gathering, beginning to block out the sun. The haze from before was still there, blurring the clouds slightly and hiding the very tops of the blackened skyscrapers. "Are we going?" he asked, his annoyance apparent in his tone.

She blinked and blushed slightly. "Sorry, I just can't get over how realistic this game looks..." Moving her character forward, they began heading down the street. She kept her eyes out for any suspicious activity; she didn't trust anything after the library, when books had been flying in all directions. Noticing a bench with a flashing item, she swiftly approached it and was surprised to discover a med kit. "And I can't get over why there are random items scattered all about," she noted, picking the item up.

"It's just how games work, Mazaki."

"I know, but it's kind of silly. I mean, if there really was a World War III scenario, I don't think people would have left bullets and med kits outside on benches."

"Would you rather this game be extremely realistic and not provide supplies?"

"I was just joking, Kaiba," she retorted.

"Sounded like you were complaining to me."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. _"And there's the Kaiba I remember from our Duel Monsters days."_ Moving past various intersections, she finally turned right, remembering the path she marked on her map. They soon came to an open court, right in the center of Domino City. A large, circular fountain stood broken and empty of water, while the giant, steel pole with a clock attacked to the top stood in the center and appeared cracked, threatening to fall apart. Benches were spaced out around the structure, and a handful of streets spread out in all directions from their position.

A whirling sound caught her attention, and she looked in the direction it was coming from to see the airship they arrived in heading towards them. Jules's image soon appeared at the top of her screen. "Good work, soldiers," he stated. "We're here to get you out of here. The doctor is going to be happy to-"

Her eyes widened when a sudden groaning noise echoed throughout the square. "Shit, what the hell was that?" Jules asked. Anzu began to panic, and she ran in circles around the airship, trying to get inside. The airship merely hovered above them, however, as the groaning continued.

"Kaiba, how do we get inside?" she asked. No matter where she went under the hovering airship, nothing was popping up to tell her what to do.

"We don't."

Before she could ask what that meant, the groaning sound came once more, this time much louder, and she watched in horror as a serpent-like ghost suddenly appeared from out the central structure, its mouth swallowing the clock tower. It turned and dove directly at the airship, and through her intercom, Anzu could hear Jules screaming in pain. The creature went through the cockpit, and the intercom went silent. The airship began to wobble, and she gasped before running out from underneath it. The creature screeched loudly, flying high up into the air, and she watched as it flew into the distance before turning and heading straight for them. The airship began to falter, and she watched in horror as it steered to the side, the machine's whirling filling the air. It soon crashed into a nearby building, blocking one of the roadways.

The creature groaned once more, and Anzu cringed as it flew overhead. She aimed at Kaiba's character and shouted, "We gotta fight that thing?!"

"Quite the boss, huh?"

Bringing the controller close to her chest, she muttered, "Way way WAY too cruel, Kaiba!"

"Use your night vision if you want to beat him quickly."

_"Shoot, which button is-"_

The serpent flew directly at her. Panicking, she screamed and quickly ran across the court before turning to look at it. Gunfire caught her attention, and she watched as Kaiba's character aimed and began firing. _"Dammit, which button is the night vision?!"_ Mashing the buttons, she growled in frustration when her inventory came up, then the map. Then she reloaded. _Finally_ her vision turned from normal to night vision, and she could see the whole outline of the creature.

Its face was long and thin, with a wavy whisker on each side. Its blue eyes glowed as malignant slits, and a shimmer of blue outlining its body revealed scales all the way down to its tail as well as two large fins. Spikes shot out of its back as well as the edges of its fins. It was massive; it circled the entire fountain structure and had to move its head upward to make room.

Aiming her gun, she began firing at the creature, noticing the sparks against its skin where her bullets came in contact. Kaiba was also firing away, but the creature seemed to have targeted onto him, for it cried out before releasing a blast of energy directly at Kaiba. She watched as the flame enveloped Kaiba's character, and she cried out, "Are you all right?!"

"Yes, and I'm right here," he remarked. "You don't have to shout."

She realized her hands were slightly shaking and frowned. "I'm not used to this, Kaiba."

"Just keep aiming and firing. You're doing fine."

She anticipated an insult; his words of support surprised her. She followed his instructions, moving slowly around the creature as Kaiba drew its fire. She aimed and emptied one, two, three full things of ammunition before hearing a click as she pressed the button. "Uh-oh..." The creature kept flying above them, firing rays of energy and swiping at them with its fins. She managed to dodge it, her heart skipping a beat upon seeing its face up close. She tried pressing the trigger again and again, but nothing happened.

"You ran out of ammunition, didn't you?" Kaiba asked.

Anzu gulped. The creature cried out and rushed towards the sky.

"Shit, here it comes!"

"Wh-What?!"

The creature screeched. She watched as it turned and shot straight into the ground, creating a rumbling beneath her and sending shockwaves which caused her vision to blur. "Keep running!" Kaiba instructed. "It's going to randomly come out of the ground."

She did. She ran and ran and ran around, keeping her eyes peeled to the ground. But then, she noticed something. "Ammo!" She swiftly rushed towards it, pressed the button, and reloaded. Turning her character, she watched the creature shoot up from the ground. Kaiba was now back to firing at it. Running back towards the fountain, she aimed and went to fire as well when the creature let out a loud, vibrating howl. The howl turned into a groan as it slowly sank to the ground, its body disappearing. She turned off her night vision and watched as the light blue eyes closed, the shimmering body disappearing in little wisps until it faded into nothing. The air became silent save for the crackling fire of the destroyed airship.

She sighed heavily and looked at Kaiba's character, who merely stared back at her. "Having fun?" he asked.

"You're going to give your players heart attacks," she scolded. Yet she giggled and added, "Though I feel kind of proud. That was definitely a fight."

He chuckled and ran past her. She watched as he approached some trash cans before bringing up his inventory. "You put stuff in trash cans too?!"

"Again, it's how games work."

"Hello? Hello? Jules?"

Anzu blinked at the sound of a new voice. A new figure appeared in the corner of her screen where Jules had originally been displayed. It was an older man, with black hair that had white on the tips. A pair of wire glasses surrounded his green eyes, and he was dressed in a white, long-sleeve shirt and brown sweater vest.

"Dammit, was Jules killed? I can't get in contact with him. It must have been those ghosts... Fortunately you have managed to survive, I see."

Anzu frowned. _"Why does his voice sound familiar?"_

"My name is Dr. Killinger," the man stated. "I'm a scientist, the one who sent you on this mission. Listen, that plant you have is extremely important. I don't know what happened to Jules, but we're sending in another unit to come and pick you up. You must return with the plant at all costs! Please remain in position until our unit arrives. Dr. Killinger out."

The transmission died. Kaiba's character appeared in front of her. "Here, take this," he said. A note appeared on her screen to click the L3 button. "Press your left joystick down," he instructed. She did, and a new screen appeared detailing both her and Kaiba's inventory screens. She watched in confusion as items from his list soon appeared in hers before disappearing. "I gave you some ammunition and a med kit. That should help you."

"Thanks." Chuckling, she added, "You know, you're being awfully kind today."

"What makes you say that?"

"You were sending me into a haunted library just the other day. Now you're giving me med kits."

"If you die, then we both have to restart," he explained. "The tentacle enemies in the library don't do that much damage, but after this point, the ghosts are going to get a lot tougher."

"Of course they are," she muttered.

"You killed the ghost!"

Anzu blinked in surprise and turned in the direction of the voice. Her jaw dropped at what she saw. Standing in the middle of a street looked to be a young teenage boy. His black hair went down past his shoulders, blending into his black, loose jacket. His jeans were dirtied, and he held a small pistol in his hand. Waving to them, he said, "Man, I thought no one would get that thing. You're soldiers, right? Boss knew you were going to show up. He said he wants to talk to you. Follow me!"

She slowly looked over at Kaiba's character, who then looked over at her. Realizing he was waiting for her, she returned her attention to the kid and began to follow, wondering what the Kaiba brothers had programmed in store for her next.


	14. 14 : Happy For You

_Hey, everyone. I just want to note that there are a few video games mentioned in this chapter. Note that I do not own the rights to these games; all rights of these games belong to their respective owners.  
_

* * *

Chapter 14 : Happy For You  


_"Well, it couldn't last forever..."_

Seto sighed heavily as he placed his head in his hand. Right as he and Anzu entered the apartment complex, signifying the next stage of the game, the screen had all but crashed, kicking them both out and bringing them back to the main menu. He smirked, remembering how Anzu had freaked out, but now he was stuck staring at his laptop with a sheet of coding in front of him. He had to find the error and figure out what was going on. _"Hopefully the save file didn't get corrupted,"_ he thought. _"The last thing I want is to have to redo the entire beginning with her."_

He blinked in surprise. _"What am I thinking? If the game corrupts the file, I'm restarting without her. I can't make my schedule around her."_

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw her lying on the couch reading a book. Yuki was curled up next to her, a curious thing given that Yuki always ran away from strangers. He sighed under his breath and returned his attention to the computer screen. _"I just need to get this done..."_

"Hey Kaiba?" He blinked and swiftly turned back around. He watched as Anzu pushed herself up and smiled at him. "Do you mind if I try another game?"

He briefly wondered if he had heard her right. "You...want to play another game?"

She smiled and nodded. Standing from the sofa, she stretched slightly and remarked, "If I'm going to help you play this game, I want to be a bit more useful. Besides, you have so many games here, I can't help but be curious to try a few out." Smiling, she quickly said, "Of course, so long as it's okay with you."

The idea of her touching his collection of games didn't sit well, but the guilt from this morning made him swallow back his pride. _"You still owe her one, and don't forget, you told her she could do whatever she wanted while she was here."_ Sighing, he said, "Push me over. I'll tell you which games are good."

"You don't like all the games you have?"

"Some are better than others," he explained, adding with a smirk, "particularly for beginners."

"Hey, I did well against that boss!" she exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips.

"Until you ran out of ammunition."

"It's not my fault the boss had so much health! And I didn't know you could search in trash cans. You should've made a note about that somewhere."

"Well now you know to search everywhere in a video game," he retorted. She sighed in frustration, and he smirked mischievously. "Just don't go dumpster diving in the real world. People tend to frown on that kind of behavior."

"Oh, haha, aren't you funny?" He noted how she was doing her best to look annoyed at him, yet her lips tugged, threatening to form a smile.

"Quite hilarious, if I do say so myself," he countered. A smile was threatening his own lips, however, and he quickly shook his head and asked, "Now, do you want to play a game or not?"

He watched as she walked over to him and, pulling him away from his desk, pushed him in front of the television, slightly in front of the left side of the sofa. From his position, he could see his collection, a vast, two shelves filled with games covering all systems. She pointed at one and asked, "What is this game about?"

"Which one?"

"_Tales of Vesperia_?"

"That's a really long RPG game about saving the world."

"R...PG?"

"Role-Playing Game. Where you take control of a group of protagonists and go up against this ultimate antagonist. It's a little childish of a game, but the mechanics are well done. Mokuba's beaten it several times, now."

"And you?"

Seto smirked. "I've made it a point to beat every game we own."

Anzu's eyes widened. "Where do you get the time for that?"

"Well, when you don't sleep well..." His eyes widened as the words slipped through his lips. Clearing his throat, he swiftly stated, "If you want games like that, there's also some _Final Fantasy_ and _Persona_ games, although those last a long time, too."

"How long is a long time?" she asked, glancing curiously back at him.

"_Tales of Vesperia_ usually runs over 100 hours."

"What?!" Shaking her head, she said, "No way! I want a game I can beat in a few hours."

"There aren't many like that." Seeing her downcast expression, he said, "It really doesn't matter. I'm going to be spending quite a bit of time programming this, and who knows how many more bugs we'll come across. If you pick a long game, it's not like you aren't going to have time to play it."

"Hmmm..." She continued scanning the rows of games before pointing at an entirely different game. "And this one?"

"_Bioshock_? An American first-person shooter game."

"What about this one?"

"_Jet Set Radio Future._ A game where you roller-blade around Tokyo and spray paint everything in graffiti."

"Really? That sounds kind of cool." Examining the long line once more, she blinked before taking one down. "_Phantasy Star Online_..."

Seto smirked. "An older game, but one that's pretty fun. It can be very repetitive, though. You make a character and do the same four dungeons about ten thousand times before moving to another four dungeons. It's another one that's made for playing with friends."

"It looks really pretty."

"It was...for its time. Now it looks outdated."

"Which would you recommend?"

Seto examined his shelves once more. "You might like _Final Fantasy X._ Or _Eternal Sonata_. Something that's relatively straightforward with a lot of story."

"Hmm..." Staring at his collection, she finally said, "You said this game is pretty repetitive, right? I don't want to start a game that's really in-depth since I'm only here for a little bit. Besides, I like the way this one looks."

Seto shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"So I can play it?"

"Sure, but I'll have to plug in the Gamecube. We haven't played this game in quite awhile." He gripped the armrests of the wheelchair and said, "I'm going to try and walk over. The doctor said I should be moving my leg around a bit more."

"You want me to help?" she asked.

Shaking his head, he slowly pushed himself up, flinching slightly at the pang in his leg. He took a step, then another, dragging his wheelchair along for support. After a few more painful steps, he grabbed a hold of the entertainment system and sighed heavily. "Okay, let's see..." Pressing the door open, he saw the Gamecube system on its little shelf, the wires lying next to it. "Grab those three wires, the ones that are colored."

"These?" Anzu reached in and pulled out the red, white, and yellow tipped cords.

"Yeah." He took them from her and swiftly replaced them with the current ones plugged into the front of the TV. He then had her hand him the second cord before using the entertainment system for support to get behind it. A little space stood between the system and the wall, and he noted the amount of wires in the back. Sighing, he said, "I need you to get the power cord."

She swiftly rushed around and leaned down. Pulling the long power cord out, she glanced up and frowned.

"What's wrong?" he asked, frowning in return.

"I didn't think it would be this big of a hassle," she muttered.

He scoffed and shook his head. "Anzu, it's two cords. It's not that big a deal. Just plug this one in, and you're fine."

She slowly took it and plugged it in. He pushed himself off the support of the entertainment system back into his wheelchair, sighing heavily when he felt the leather beneath him. "Can you grab my laptop for me?" he asked, pointing back at his work station.

"Your laptop?" she repeated.

He smirked. "You're going to need to learn the controls; the Gamecube's controller has a lot more buttons than the Playstation 4's controller. I might as well watch to make sure you don't screw up."

Placing her hands on her hips once more, she pointed her nose up and said, "What makes you think I won't be able to figure this game out all by myself?"

"For one, the fact that you didn't think you could investigate trash cans."

"I've seen Yugi and the gang play plenty of games, and they never investigated any trash cans!" she exclaimed.

He couldn't help it; the sight of her standing there, pretending to be high and mighty about video games, struck him as downright amusing. He burst out laughing, instinctively covering his mouth with his hand as he did so. Anzu, meanwhile, let her hands fall down at her sides and chuckled at his reaction before walking over to the laptop. Bringing it over, she gently set it on his lap. Seto grabbed a nearby remote controller and turned the TV on, watching as she turned the game console on.

"Well, I guess there's a first for everything," she noted as she returned to the sofa, sitting down near Seto.

"What does that mean?" he asked, his smile turning to a smirk.

"I'm playing a video game, and you're laughing as though you're enjoying yourself." His eyes widened. Scoffing, he went to say something when the game came to life, the light, electronic music filling the room. "Do you have a save file?" she asked.

"Of course. Why?"

"I want to see your character."

"Why?" he repeated.

"You said you beat _all_ the games on your shelves..."

Sighing, Seto said, "Go to **Load Game.** Mine is the level 200 Force character with the funny hat." She did so, and he watched as she scrolled down over his character.

"Sheesh, over 300 hours?!" she exclaimed, turning to look at him in shock.

"And Mokuba played all 300 hours with me," he responded. "If you scroll down, you'll see his character, a level 198 Ranger. We went through all three episodes together. It took us nearly six months to do. Some nights we'd stay up until three or four in the morning, trying to beat one of the bosses." A smile pulled again at his lips. It was during high school, shortly after Gozaburo had left the picture. Seto was overwhelmed with the responsibility of the company, and Mokuba, wanting to cheer him up, had brought up the idea of playing a game together. _"And now, we're making our own game..."_

"Wow..." Giggling, she exited out before going to **New Game.**

He blinked and turned to look at her. "What's so funny?"

"You."

He frowned. "And what, might I ask, is so amusing about me?"

"I could never picture you playing games until three in the morning with Mokuba. The idea that you and Mokuba planned a gaming session out... I don't know. It's cute."

He looked incredulously at her. "The idea that I like spending time with my brother strikes you as odd?"

"No. The idea that you planned a video game session with _anyone_ strikes me as odd." Smiling over at him, she said, "And no, I'm not trying to be mean. I'm just stating a fact. We all know you're human, Kaiba, but sometimes you don't act like it. It's nice hearing that you do those kinds of things with Mokuba. Everyone needs someone they can rely on in their life, you know? We all know you and Mokuba are close, but hearing that you two plan gaming sessions and stuff... It makes me happy for you two. I'm glad to know you have someone you can just relax around."

His lips parted slightly, yet no words came out. She smiled before returning her attention to the television screen. With a blank mind, he slowly looked down at his own screen.

"Um...so what buttons do what?"

He sighed and shook his head. _"This is going to be a long afternoon..."_


	15. 15 : Repaid

Chapter 15 : Repaid

His initial concerns over the afternoon going about as fast as a slug swiftly diminished. Once Anzu managed to learn the proper controls (which took nearly a half hour of explanation), she was flying through the game, doing side quest after side quest, exploring dungeons, even learning how to properly level her robotic Mag friend. The hours flew by, and before Seto even knew it, he heard footsteps approaching and a voice call out, "Big Brother, I'm home!"

Seto blinked in surprise and looked over at the clock. Even after telling Anzu the controls, he had spent the majority of his time watching her play, remembering the nights he and Mokuba did the same. He looked down at his computer and was shocked to see it with a black screen. He brushed his fingers against the touchpad and watched it come back to life before sighing heavily. _"Shit... I didn't get anything done,"_ he reflected, startled by the situation. _"I let her distract me."_

"Hey Big Bro!" Mokuba greeted, waving over at the two from the entranceway. His eyes widened upon seeing not Seto, but Anzu, with the controller. "Whoa, you got _Anzu_ playing our games?" he asked, rushing into the room. "AND she's playing PSO?! Awesome!"

Anzu giggled and nodded. "Yep! I'm already a level 10 Ranger, thanks to your brother explaining these ridiculous controls!"

"That's the class I picked!" Mokuba exclaimed. "I can definitely help you plan our your Mag. You do know about Mags, right? What's your favorite weapon so far?"

"Oh, um... I-I'm just using the pistol right now."

"Wait 'til you get the rifles! They're awesome and pretty powerful! Combine those with some Force abilities, and you're practically unstoppable!"

"Force…?"

Seto sighed. "She's a CAST, Mokuba. She can't cast Force abilities."

"Aw, so she's using traps instead?"

He smirked at her confused expression and, returning his attention to his brother, said, "I think we're keeping it simple for now."

Anzu laughed before nodding in agreement. Standing from her seat on the sofa, she stretched her arms and yawned before saying, "Well, I guess that's my cue to leave."

"I'm sure Seto wouldn't mind if you stayed a little longer," Mokuba replied. Seto's eyes widened as the presumed idea.

"Oh, it's fine," Anzu stated. "I need to go home and prepare for tonight's dance lessons anyway. But, um..." Glancing back over at Seto, she asked, "How do I save?"

"Just quit the game from the main menu," he instructed. "It'll ask you to save. Then you're fine."

"Okie dokie." He watched as she did so, waiting for the initial start menu to return, before she turned the system and the television off. Waving at the two, she said, "It's been fun! Thanks so much for letting me play!"

Seto grunted in response.

"Thanks for watching over him," Mokuba replied.

"No problem. Should I pick you up tomorrow, Kaiba?"

He shook his head no. "I'll have Roland here to pick me up. You should be fine. Just come directly here."

"Okay, sounds good!" Waving once more at the two, she said, "Bye-bye!" before walking past Mokuba and down the hallway. Soon her footsteps faded, and Seto watched as Mokuba plopped down on the sofa where she had been sitting. Startled by the motion, Yuki peeked up at Mokuba, ascertained who it was, and laid her head back down to rest.

"So..." Mokuba began. Seto quirked an eyebrow.

"So...?" he repeated when his brother didn't continue.

"Since when did you start offering to let other people play our games? Particularly our absolute _favorite_ game of all time?"

Seto scoffed and shook his head. "She was bugging me about it," he argued. "I just let her pick something and helped her set it up."

"Okay, well then that leads me to my next question. Since when were you ever one to give in to those who bugged you?" Crossing his arms over his chest, Mokuba smirked and added, "If you gave in so easily, I'd have a lot more toys in my room."

"A lot more junk in your room," Seto corrected. "And so what? I let her make a new character. Our files are intact."

"But when did she ever learn to play games? Yugi and the gang have been trying for years to get her to play."

"She's been..." His eyes widened when he reflected on his situation. Clearing his throat, he returned his attention to his laptop and shrugged. "I don't know."

"You've been letting her play our game, haven't you?"

His eyes shot up to look at his brother, who was wearing a grin that could compete with the Cheshire cat. "What makes you think that?" he asked, though it was too hasty. Mokuba giggled victoriously.

"I may or may not have checked the save file to see how far you were in beta testing our game last night," he taunted. "I saw the file was saved as a co-op game, and I had to wonder, who was here with my Big Brother to play the game? Irika wouldn't play, and Roland wouldn't play, so..."

Seto sighed and shook his head. "Look, it was just to keep her quiet. Otherwise, she would have bothered me the whole time, asking questions about this or that. Besides, we would have had to beta test the co-operation mode at some point. If you're making her watch over me, she might as well be useful."

"Uh-huh, suuuuuure Seto."

He frowned, and his stare was beginning to turn into a glare. "What are you implying?"

Mokuba answered playfully, "Oh, nothing."

Seto rolled his eyes. "Yeah...right."

"By the way, I was thinking... We never got to celebrate finishing this game 'cuz of your accident. Wanna do something this weekend?"

Seto blinked in surprise. _"He's right. I was going to Rudia's when I was hit. We never did do something to celebrate our game."_ Nodding, he asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"I don't know. We should probably stay at home this weekend to let your leg recover and beta test some more. Maybe we could get Roland to go and get us those hot chocolates." Smiling, he added, "We can even invite Anzu, if you want."

"Why? She didn't do anything for this game."

"She's helping beta test, from what I gather," Mokuba argued. "Besides, she's doing us a big favor."

"Mokuba, we're paying her for that big favor."

"I know, but it would still be nice. Is she liking the game?"

Remembering her triumphant cheer upon beating the serpent, he shrugged and said, "She seems to be. She's terrible at the controls, though. Still, it's good for beta testing purposes. It's hard to judge the difficulty of the game when we made it."

"Very true..." Smiling, Mokuba stood from the sofa and sighed. "Well, I guess I'm going to do some homework. You working on coding?"

"Yes."

"Let me know when you're done. I want to make my own file and try the game out on single-player."

"Will do."

He watched as his brother exited the room and sighed heavily. _"Why would Mokuba want to invite her? She didn't do anything to help in the creation of this game. Two days of beta testing mean nothing in comparison to the hours and hours spent coding, designing, and programming this game."_ Frowning, he shook his head and glanced up at the Gamecube. _"However, Mokuba is technically co-owner of this game. He has every right to celebrate with whomever he wants. And the fact that we can trust Anzu to play this game and not tell anyone about it..."_

He growled under his breath. He hated being so logical sometimes. He looked down at his laptop and thought, _"Might as well get to work."_

* * *

The hours had passed slower than earlier in the day, but when he finally leaned back in his wheelchair, now sitting back at his desk, he felt satisfied. Outside it was dark, and the only light in the room was a small lamp in the corner and his own laptop, but he smiled at his work.

He had managed to go through nearly half the coding, correcting a few errors here and there before tackling the main problem he and Anzu came in contact with. In fixing that problem, he had found nearly a dozen similar errors, and he realized that they had only gotten so far into the game from sheer luck; it should have crashed at least five times during their playthrough thus far. _"Guess it's a good thing this happened, else this may have become a serious issue later on,"_ he thought. _"Though I don't think it will impact the save files."_

Drumming his fingers on the desk, he glanced down at the clock on his laptop. _"11:00... Shit."_ He frowned. _"Mokuba never came down to check on the game. Or if he did, I didn't hear him."_ Sighing, he thought, _"Dammit. He was looking forward to playing tonight."_

Pushing himself away from the desk with his good hand, Seto bit his lower lip, thinking of his options. He still needed a bath, then there was the matter of sleep. Turning himself around, he called out, "Irika!"

Her heels caught his attention. She soon appeared in the entranceway. "Yes, Mr. Kaiba?" she asked, bowing slightly.

"Prepare a bath for me," he instructed. "I'm going to take one before heading to bed."

"Right away, Mr. Kaiba."

He watched her leave before sighing heavily. Now that he wasn't staring at a computer screen, he found he was surprisingly wide awake despite the time. _"Not that I was ever a big sleeper,"_ he thought. His eyes instinctively wandered back to the Gamecube. _"Whenever I couldn't sleep, I'd just play a game. It would help me forget all my problems, help me calm down and unwind after a rough day at the office."_

He smirked, remembering Anzu's cries of victory when she defeated the dragon as well as her shouts at the game whenever she died. It was so amusing watching her. She was like a little kid. It somehow reminded him of how Mokuba behaved all those years ago when they first played, screaming at the television whenever he was killed and standing up to dance whenever they beat a huge boss. She wasn't _that_ expressive, but the similarities were still there.

Irika reappeared with a change of clothes and bowed. "The water is running, Mr. Kaiba," she said as she approached. Handing the pair of pajamas to him, she grabbed onto the handlebars of the wheelchair and pushed him forward.

"Where is Mokuba?" he inquired. "He should have talked to me after dinner at some point."

"He asked me what you were doing around eight," she replied in her slightly monotone voice. "I told him you were still working on coding, and he said he would instead work on advertisement artwork."

Seto smiled. _"That's my little brother. Always thinking one step ahead."_

"Is there anything I should tell him?"

Seto shook his head. "No. I just wanted to make sure he was okay. I expected him sometime this evening."

"Very well." They soon arrived at the entrance to the bathroom. Seto could hear the hot water running, and when Irika opened the door, the sight of the bathtub filling up greeted him, as did the smell of the pear bubble bath. To his left was a shiny toilet as well as a marble sink, a long cupboard underneath spanning the length of the room. To his right was a square alcove in the back corner, in which was housed the bathtub with a shower head hanging overtop. Towels hung on a rack directly to his right, and she quickly pushed him inside. "Is there anything else you require?"

"No, I should be fine," Seto answered, placing his hand on the sink. Pushing himself up, he flinched at the shot of pain but noted that it wasn't as bad as before. _"Perhaps this leg will heal yet..."_

"Mr. Kaiba..."

He blinked and turned to see Irika still standing in the doorway. "Yes?"

She blushed and smiled lightly. "I just wanted to say that...that your friend is very nice."

Seto frowned. "You mean Anzu?"

Irika nodded. "She is...very sweet. She thanked me for my aide when she left today, though I am unsure what I did to deserve such a response."

"You do plenty," Seto scolded.

"B-But..."

"Irika, let it be," he said. "You do more with this manor than Mokuba or I ever could. You should proud of what you've done."

"I... Thank you, Mr. Kaiba."

He watched as she closed the door shut, listening as her footsteps echoed down the hallway and soon vanished underneath the sound of the bathtub filling. Frowning, he swiftly undid his shirt and pants before using the sink and then the wheelchair for support to get to the tub. Dipping in each foot, he sunk into the water and turned the faucet off. Silence filled the room. He propped both arms up onto the rim of the tub to keep his cast from getting wet and glanced down at his chest. _"The bruise is all but gone,"_ he noted. Yet his fingers still traced over a few faint lines.

Scars. Scars from when Gozaburo was still around, torturing them all. When he and Mokuba were banned from playing any type of game. When it was all he could do to push through to survive. He smirked, noting the irony of the day's events. _"When Gozaburo finally killed himself, the first game Mokuba and I played together was Phantasy Star Online,"_ he reflected as he closed his eyes. _"Sure, it was old even at that point, but it was the first co-op game Mokuba picked off the shelf. And now, how many years later, Mazaki's sitting on my couch playing it."_ He slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He playfully frowned and thought, _"And Mokuba is never going to let me hear the end of it."_ Sighing once more, he closed his eyes again and leaned back against the tub. _"Whatever. I owed her one, and I repaid her by letting her play another game. The debt is paid. Now I just need to pay her for her time, and we'll be even." _


	16. 16 : A New Quest

Chapter 16 : A New Quest

"All right, that patch wasted enough time," Seto complained as he strapped on the oculus rift. Anzu was sitting on the sofa to his left, strapping the oculus rift around her head as well. The sound of rain hitting the windows filled his ears; a raging thunderstorm outside had begun a mere half hour ago, and his shirt was still wet from his trip from the car to the entrance of his home. Irika had prepared a tray of tea for the two upon their arrival, however, and already Seto had drained a cup. Letting the oculus rift dangle around his neck, he poured himself another cup before mechanically asking, "Would you like another?"

"Another?"

He smirked when Anzu turned to look at him, her oculus rift covering most of her face. "Another cup of tea."

"Oh, sure! Thank you."

Pouring her another, he set the tea bags in and watched the water slowly change color. It was a good morning for hot tea, and a few breakfast pastries were set in the middle, making the scene somewhat picturesque. Anzu grabbed one and chewed lightly on it before smiling over at him. "How was therapy?" she asked.

"Good," he answered. "The doctor said there's a strong possibility I will be getting a cane tomorrow in order to try walking on my own this weekend."

"That's fantastic!" she exclaimed.

"Yes. It will be nice being able to move around on my own, for a change."

She nodded in agreement and smiled. "Well, if that's the case, be sure to keep inviting me over. I want to finish playing this game with you."

At this, he frowned. _"Inviting her over? She_ does_ remember I'm paying her for this, that this is technically a job, correct? Why would she want to spend more time with me than she already has to?"_ Seeing that the tea had settled enough, he removed the tea bags, poured a bit of milk in each, and set one of the cups near her. "Okay, tea is ready."

"Thanks." Reaching out, she grabbed it carefully and brought it to her lips. Seto took his own in his hand, cradling the warmth that emitted from it, and took a small sip. He then placed the oculus rift around his head, seeing the main menu of the game in front of him. He clicked **Load Game** and double-clicked their file, watching as the loading screen appeared. Soon their visions turned blurry, indicating it was loading. In a minute or so, it cleared, revealing their surroundings. They were outside an apartment complex; it was when they had tried to previously enter the building that the game went ballistic and crashed. "Am I still taking point?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Okie dokie." He watched her character disappear, indicating she had interacted with the door, and he followed suit. Soon he found himself in the main lobby of the apartment complex. His heart skipped a beat; the patch had worked. They could continue the game. He turned his head and began examining their surroundings. A line of empty mailboxes were situated in the wall to his left, while a stairwell directly in front of them, broken and disjointed at certain steps, led up to the second floor. A hallway was to their right, leading to the apartments on the first floor. It was here that the kid they met earlier was standing. He was messing around with his black hair.

"Follow me!" he exclaimed. "Boss always keeps his quarters on the first floor to keep an eye on who comes and goes."

"Who is this Boss?" Anzu questioned.

"You'll have to find out," Seto answered.

Running through several rooms filled with burnt out furniture, empty cabinets, and broken shards of glass, Seto and Anzu soon found themselves in what was once a large gathering room for all the apartment residents. A man wearing pieces of armor with patches of black evident on his clothing underneath sat cross-legged in the center of the room. Others, ranging from young children to elders, sat around him, each wearing a mismatched pair of steel armor, leather, and regular clothing. They all stared eagerly at the two. A roaring fire illuminated the room, the sounds of the cackling wood filling the silence. Anzu approached the man in the center, and he looked up with bright, blue eyes. His black hair was braided and pulled back into a ponytail. He appeared almost Native American, with darker skin, somewhat almond-shaped eyes, and white war paint on his face. He was stern and sat fully erect, indicating without words that he was the one in charge.

"Greetings," he said in a deep voice. "My name is Vash Mali. I am the leader of this group of survivors. We heard your airship arrive a bit ago, yet we anticipated a swift death, just like the others. No, do not appear surprised. You are not the first to arrive in this city, looking for things which you could not possibly understand." Reaching his hand forward, he asked, "You have the plant with you?"

The man standing behind him, the kid who they had first seen, stepped forward and shouted, "Vash! You can't just demand the plant over! Besides, _we_ owe_ them_ one. They killed the serpent!"

The people began to murmur around them, and Seto moved his head to see the residents reacting to the news. Some eyes widened, while others leaned over and whispered to their neighbors. _"So far, so good. They are reacting realistically."_ He carefully reached out and grabbed his cup of tea before taking another sip.

"You killed the serpent?" Vash repeated, staring curiously at the two. "Then perhaps... Perhaps you are not entirely lost. Most soldiers who arrive perish; they do not comprehend what is really taking place, that the spirits of these ghosts must be laid to rest. But perhaps you may do some good." Retracting his hand, he nodded and said, "But before I will commit to anything, I wish to know that you are serious in your endeavor to right the wrongs of the past. You may have killed the serpent, but that does not mean you are aligned with us. If you wish for our aide, you must acquire another artifact, similar to the plant you have in your possession. Deki knows of the artifact I speak."

Deki, the kid, nodded in agreement. He waved the pistol at them, smirking underneath his mat of black hair.

"You are to bring Deki to the Buddhist temple located north of here," Vash stated. "He knows where this artifact is being kept. Obtain the artifact with him, and bring it back. Then we will begin negotiations."

"Boss..." Deki glanced down curiously at Vash, who held up his hand to silence the boy before returning his attention to the two.

"Know this, soldiers," he said. "Without our aide, you will not leave this city alive. There is a force here beyond your understanding. It does not allow people to simply leave. It demands tribute. If you wish to escape, you will need our help, but I will only help you once you have proven yourself. So go. Go with Deki, and get us that artifact."

The dialogue ended, and a line of text appeared at the top of the screen reading **New Objective: Go with Deki to Buddhist Temple**. Seto continued looking around the room, examining the great amount of detail placed into the environment, when he heard Anzu scoff.

"What?" he asked.

"That guy sure wasn't pleasant to talk to," Anzu remarked. "The minute he sees us, he just starts making demands. What a jerk."

"You aren't supposed to like him."

"Well, once again you were successful. Do we have to do the mission for him?"

Seto smirked. "Yes, you do. But there will be points later where you can make decisions."

"Good. I trust Dr. Killinger a lot more than that freak."

Seto blinked in surprise. _"Interesting..."_

"Anyway, what does this Deki guy do now that he is with us?"

"He will follow us, attack enemies on sight, and collect items. He will mostly aide us but make no major decisions. We just have to make sure he stays alive."

"And how do we do that?"

"Aim at him." He waited until she moved her character around to face him. "You'll now see a health bar appear above his head. Should it drain all the way, we will get a Game Over. To heal him, simply approach him. A little icon will tell you what to do."

She did so and said, "Oh, I see. Okay, sounds good." He watched her bring up the map, their new destination marked and blinking. "So we now have to go here?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Let me check my inventory quick..." The map disappeared only to be replaced with her inventory screen. "Oh shoot. I still don't have a whole lot of ammunition."

"We'll find some along the way," Seto replied.

"Okay." Laughing, she said, "I guess I'll be checking every trash can we find."

Seto chuckled. "Ammo isn't only found in trash cans. We can enter some of the buildings as extra areas, just to loot them for any goods."

"Are they infested with ghosts, too?"

"Some of them."

"Well that seems kind of pointless, then."

Seto frowned. "Why?"

"Because I would have to use ammo to find ammo."

"You can avoid the ghosts, you know. You only have to fight the bosses, like the serpent."

"Hmm..." Watching Anzu exit the room, he quickly followed behind, with Deki taking the rear. They returned out on the street, and he smirked when Anzu turned left.

_"She's getting courageous,"_ he thought, knowing that the quickest route to their destination would have them making an immediate right. _"And she is getting better at this game. No curses at the map or inventory screens. Perhaps it would be for the best to keep her playing through this game with me, after all, even if I get the cane."_

"Aha, found you!"

Blinking, he turned his head to see her standing in front of a trash can and chuckled. _"If nothing else, she's entertaining..."_

"How did you guys get here, anyways?" Deki suddenly asked as they continued running down the street. "I heard about these airship things that you can fly around, but I've never seen one. Vash says they always come but get caught in the web. They don't understand that you can't really leave this place. Not without the necessary tributes."

"What is he talking about?" Anzu inquired.

"You'll find out soon," Seto answered.

"Anyways, I guess that wasn't a very good introduction," Deki continued. "My name's Deki. I'm Vash's son, second-in-command here. I do a lot of scouting in the area, reporting on the local happenings. There are a couple groups of survivors scattered around, but we don't necessarily get along with each other." He smirked. "Vash always complains that, even in the apocalypse, we all can't work together. But Vash is a good leader. He keeps us all together. Might not be the best dad, but hey... He's got a tough job to do."

Seto noted that Anzu had stopped in order to listen to Deki. Smirking, he said, "He'll continue talking if you keep moving."

"I know, but I just want to listen to him," Anzu replied. "I want to see if I can figure out what's going on in this game."

Seto shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"This is where we get a lot of our supplies," Deki remarked, pointing over at a drug store. "We can go in there if you're running low."

"Heck yes!" Anzu exclaimed.

Seto laughed. _"So much for story."_ He smiled, watching her run carelessly towards the side of the store despite the fact that the entrance was around the corner.

"Hey, how do we get in?!"

"Through the door."

"And where is... Oh. Found it!"

Seto chuckled._ "Definitely entertaining."_


	17. 17 : Robbed

Chapter 17 : Robbed

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Anzu took a large swig of water before sighing contently. "All right, ladies, that will be enough for today," their leader, a young woman named Natsumi, remarked. Clapping her hands together, she said, "Be sure to get some rest. Next week, we shall begin our run-throughs of our performances. Don't forget, the recital is less than two months away! Keep healthy and keep stretching in your spare time. This is the time when you _don't_ want to let yourself go!"

All the girls in the group nodded, and Natsumi glided out of the room. In the large mirror, Anzu could see herself and the eleven other girls in their group. Some were sitting on the wooden floor untying their shoes, others taking drinks, and two were in the back stretching. She grabbed her bag and smiled when Ayame approached her.

Ayame ran a hand through her long, black hair and sighed heavily. "Sheesh, like we would be dumb enough to give up at this stage of the game!"

Anzu smiled. "Natsumi means well," she insisted.

"I don't know. Sometimes I get the feeling she thinks we're five, not twenty."

Anzu nodded in understanding. Natsumi could be a pain, but she was indeed the best dancer of them all. She had earned her position as their leader. Therefore, Anzu couldn't really complain. Grabbing her small bag off the floor, she followed her friend through the door and down the narrow corridor past the other dancing studios. "So how are things at the apartment?" Ayame inquired, glancing back at Anzu as she did so.

"Oh, I haven't been at the apartment lately," she explained. "I've been watching over…over a friend."

"Hm, a friend?" Quirking an eyebrow, Ayame asked, "Which friend is this?"

Anzu blushed. "Just a friend. I'm good friends with his younger brother. He—"

"Oh, so it's a boy?" Ayame smirked back at Anzu.

Anzu rolled her eyes. "Yes, he's a boy. Actually, he's a man. His younger brother was the one who asked me to watch over him. He was just recently involved in an accident and was in the hospital for a bit. His younger brother has to go to school, so I was asked to keep an eye on him."

"What's this older brother like? Anything like Yugi or your friends?"

Anzu chuckled. "No, not really."

"You haven't mentioned Yugi in awhile. Have you talked to him recently?"

"No, not really," she repeated, her tone softer this time around.

"Aww, that's a shame. I thought you two were going to hook up there, for awhile."

"Yeah, well… Things happened."

"As they always do, darling." Chuckling, Ayame pushed the door open, and the two came out into the main lobby of the dance studio. "How long are you going to be watching over this guy, anyway?"

"Not sure. He's supposed to be getting much better over the weekend, so I don't know."

"How old is this older brother? Is he some old geezer?"

The thought of Kaiba being an old geezer made Anzu laugh. She quickly shook her head no and said, "No, he's my age."

"Oh really…?" Ayame smirked over at her.

Anzu scoffed. "No, Ayame, it's nothing like that."

"Awww, that's sad!" Patting Anzu on the shoulder, she said, "You need a good man in your life, Anzu. Someone to keep you warm at night."

"Ayame!" Anzu blushed at the thought.

"I'm serious, girl! You've been single for so long! You need a good man, one who will let you just be you and put up with your spunky attitude!"

Anzu laughed and shook her head. "Good luck finding me one of those."

"Hey, if Yugi liked you, then there has to be another out there who does. Population odds dictate it." Ayame opened the door leading outside. It was still raining, and she swiftly pulled out her umbrella and opened it above the two. Anzu nodded in thanks. "Let's see… I know what kind of man you need!" Ayame exclaimed as they crossed the parking lot.

"And what kind is that?"

"You need someone serious. Someone who you can be a sort of foil for. Like, he's the hard-working, serious guy, and you're the playful girl. And together, you're just the cutest couple ever. He makes you take things seriously, and you make him lighten up."

Anzu's eyes widened. "O-Oh, I don't know…"

"Either that, or someone super sexy. Like that Seto Kaiba billionaire. God, is he gorgeous!"

Anzu approached her car, keeping her head down. "Yeah… I don't know," she muttered.

"Hey, but let me be serious with you," Ayame remarked. "I think, if you're getting along with this guy, whoever he is, you should give it a shot. Go out on a date or something. I know you've been super stressed about money these past few months since your parents kicked you out, and I know the apartment situation hasn't been all that great. But this week, you've been a little different. A little… Oh, I don't know. A little more relaxed, more your usual spunky self. Whoever this guy is, he's making an impression on you. I see it, anyways."

Anzu listened as she put her keys in the car door and opened it. Turning to her friend, she smiled softly and muttered, "I…I'll think about it."

"You better! You know I'll only bug you until you do so!"

Anzu laughed. "I know, I know!" Waving to her friend as Ayame approached her own vehicle, which was found to be across the parking lot, Anzu slipped into her car, tossed her bags in the back, and turned on the ignition.

"_Going on a date with Kaiba…wouldn't that be an interesting night?"_ she thought as she backed out of the parking lot. Looking both ways, she pulled out into the street, heading in the direction of her apartment. _"Though I gotta admit…he has been rather sweet this week. Sweet in comparison to his usual self, anyways. He's been hospitable, eating meals with me and letting me play his game. He even let me play another of his games when he was doing his work. I thought for sure he'd tell me to mind my own business or something like that."_

Stopping at a red light, Anzu leaned back and smiled. _"I have to wonder, though, if this is just because of his surgery. I wonder what will happen when he gets his cane tomorrow…?"_

The idea that she might not be seeing him next week surprisingly made her sad. _"I guess I've grown fond of going over to his manor. It's so much nicer than the apartment, and so much quieter. And I really do like playing that game with him. He's so different, especially when we fight those big bosses. He's always running into my line, drawing the enemy away from me. And he's gotten more helpful over time. He began pointing things out for me yesterday, even helping me complete a side quest. It's like he's protecting me, acting as my knight."_ She blushed and giggled at the thought. _"Kaiba, my knight in shining armor? Geez… Ayame is such a bad influence on me."_

Driving through the intersection, Anzu turned left and began driving south. _"Still, he has been much nicer. He's even smiled once or twice, and he might try to cover up his laughter with his hand, but it's still there. Maybe the Ice King does have a soft spot after all… Though I highly doubt he'd share it with me. I'm just someone who is there to make sure he doesn't fall or hurt himself. He's said that over a dozen times, as if he had to emphasize the point. Heck, I don't even know if he'll even invite me over after he gets the cane. He seemed somewhat surprised when I asked him about finishing the game with him. I wonder…"_ Making another left, she soon found herself in a lonely neighborhood. The streets were empty with it raining, and she swiftly pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex. The lights from some of the apartments shone out, and already she could make out someone arguing in the distance. _"Sheesh, it's going to be a long night…"_

Pulling into her parking spot, Anzu turned the key once more, listening as the car died. Bolting out into the rain, she swiftly grabbed her bags and rushed up the nearby stairwell to the second floor. As she passed the doors of the various apartments, she could hear couples fighting, watching t.v., and the occasional kid. _"Kaiba still hasn't paid me,"_ she thought briefly as she approached her door. _"Not that I mind all that much, but I-"_

Placing her key in the keyhole, she frowned when she turned it without resistance. Pushing the door open slowly, she gasped in shock at the sight before her.

Glass and furniture were smashed or toppled over. Her television set lay on the floor, and pictures of her family were broken. She carefully turned the nearby lamp on, and tears immediately surfaced. Her entire living room was in shambles. _"No...no no no..."_

Rushing past the furniture, past the bathroom, and into her bedroom, she cried out and fell to her knees upon seeing the overturned dresser. All her dresser drawers were open. _"Please, please tell me they didn't find it..."_

She stood and swiftly rushed over to chest. Pulling out the bottom drawer, she lifted the bottom to reveal a hidden compartment. _Empty._

$3,000. Gone. All the money she had saved for months in order to move out, vanished. Stolen.

Sinking to her knees, Anzu placed her head in her hands and cried. _"Why?! Who would have done this? Why did they have to come HERE?! Out of all the apartments, they came to MINE! Why?!"_

She had to call the cops. As far as she knew, the burglars could still very well be inside. Grabbing her purse, she swiftly took out her cell phone and dialed the police station. She placed the phone against her ear as another wave of tears fell down her cheeks. Her breathing became shallow, coming out in spurts. She wanted to vomit. "Hello, Domino City Police Department, what is the trouble?"

"M-My apartment, it was r-robbed," she stuttered.

"Robbed?"

"Y-Yes!"

"Are you injured?"

"N-No..."

"Can you tell when it took place?"

She shook her head. "N-No. I-I was out a-all d-d-day."

"Where do you live?"

"A-a-apart...apartment 145...B-Buttou Street..."

"Calm down, ma'am. We'll send a squad car to check it out right away. Find a safe place to hide for now. We'll be there momentarily."

She nodded and heard the phone click off. Hearing footsteps, she gasped, stood, and rushed out into the living room. She sighed upon seeing her neighbor, an older gentleman named Fukihara. "Oh my..." he mused, seeing her torn up apartment.

"Fukihara!" she exclaimed. "D-Did you h-h-happen to hear anything?!"

"No, I'm afraid not," he answered. "I just got home, you see. Was out with my niece all day today."

_"But his apartment didn't get robbed. Mine did."_ Tears fell down her face.

"Oh dearie, cheer up," Fukihara stated as he slowly came inside. His sweater vest was drenched from the rain, and his gray hair stuck to his head, but he smiled nevertheless. Patting her shoulder, he asked, "Did you manage to call the cops?"

"Y-Yes. I-I just did."

"Good. They'll be able to figure this out. Did you have anything valuable stolen?"

_"My way out of this dump."_ Instead of answering, she simply sobbed, placing a hand over her mouth to keep from making too much noise. She didn't want to attract the attention of the other apartments, though once the police arrived, it would be pointless to hide.

"I'm sorry, Mazaki. I wish I had been here at the time it occurred; I may have heard it happen then and been able to call someone."

"I-It's not your f-f-fault," she muttered. Sirens blared in the distance, and the sensation of bile rose in her throat. Swallowing it back, she slowly fell down to her knees once more, unable to find the strength to stand to greet the cops.

"Listen, get your things ready," Fukihara stated. Her eyes widened at the idea.

"W-Why?"

"The cops will be wanting to check this place out after they ask you a few questions, and from what I can see, it's not necessarily safe to be here right now. Stay the night at someone else's home. You have a friend who will take you in, don't you?" She slowly nodded. Fukihara smiled and patted her shoulder once more. "Then pack your bags and give them a call. Trust me. You'll want to be away from this place for the next few days." The sound of cars entering the parking lot resonated. She mechanically nodded her head and, with the help of the old man, stood from her position. "There, there. Steady. Now go and get your things. I'll greet the cops."

She hastily made her way into her bedroom. Opening her ballet bag, she began shoving clothes into it, not seeing what articles she was necessarily throwing in. _"My savings are gone. I only have $300 in the bank now, and that's barely enough for rent. What am I going to do? What am I going to do?!"_

Another wave of tears came. Closing her eyes, she listened as Fukihara said, "Hello, yes, I'm her next-door neighbor, Mr. Fukihara. Yes, she is in the back checking her things and preparing to go to a friend's house. She should be out momentarily."

_"A friend's house... Where on Earth am I going to go?"_ Pulling out her phone, she scrolled through the list. _"Jounouchi? No, he told me the other day he would be busy this weekend. Yugi? No. Way too awkward. Kaiba..."_

Without a second thought, she dialed the number and held it to her ear. _"Please Kaiba, be my knight in shining armor right now... Please…"_


	18. 18 : Support

_Hey everyone! Since this chapter is titled 'Support', I thought I'd just thank you guys once again for all the support you've been giving me. I absolutely love your comments, and I just wanna thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time out to read this! Thanks so much! _

* * *

Chapter 18 : Support

Kaiba listened from his position in the study room, the room he was using as a makeshift bedroom, as the water from the shower stopped. He watched as Irika placed a tray of hot chocolate on the mahogany coffee table. The overhead light was on, illuminating the living space. The rain had died down to a soft pitter-patter against the windows, yet the occasional lightning strike would catch his attention. "Thank you, Irika, that should be enough," he mumbled.

"Shall I prepare the spare bedroom upstairs?"

Seto went to say yes, but then he reflected on her situation. "No. Bring down some blankets and extra pillows. She can sleep down here on the nearby sofa."

"Mr. Kaiba…?"

Seto turned to stare at her. "She's scared. She won't be feeling comfortable alone tonight. Putting her upstairs in a room that hasn't been used in years might upset her. Besides, keeping her down here will make it easier in case she needs anything."

"Understood, Mr. Kaiba."

He watched as Irika left the room. A rumble of thunder echoed, and he sighed heavily before clasping the bridge of his nose with his fingers. _"Just what I needed tonight…"_

He couldn't blame her, though. It would be entirely unfair. He couldn't even be angry at her for calling his younger brother at 11:30 at night. He just couldn't, even if he wanted to. _"She didn't ask for this to happen, and while I'm curious as to why she chose to call Mokuba instead of someone from her friendship squad, the fact of the matter is that she had her apartment sacked. She needs a safe place to stay for a bit. This goes beyond a job or her watching me – this involves her safety as a human being."_

He would never admit, but he felt sorry for her when she arrived at his manor. Still dressed in her dancing attire, she had walked into the main foyer drenched in rain carrying two bags, both of which appeared to come straight from her dancing lesson. Her eyes were downcast, with the rain water doing little to hide the tear stains. She looked paler, and she shivered without seeming to notice it. In a word, she looked broken, and Seto couldn't help but do something. Any frustration he felt towards the situation upon first being told about it by Mokuba washed away wish the rain water. He was the one who advised her to take a hot shower in order to clean herself up, and he had been the one to tell Irika to make hot chocolate for when she was done. Mokuba was already back in bed; he still had school tomorrow. But while Seto knew he had physical therapy in the morning, he still wanted to make sure Mazaki was okay.

Hearing footsteps, he watched Irika place several thick blankets as well as two pillows on the piano seat. Bowing, she swiftly left him alone to his thoughts. Seto glanced outside at the rain before taking a small sip of his drink. The hot chocolate felt good in his system.

"Kaiba…?"

Her footsteps had been silent. Seto blinked in surprise and turned to see Anzu standing in the entryway. She was wearing a long, dark blue robe, and her wet hair clung to the sides of her face. She still looked sad, understandably, but she was no longer shivering. Nodding to her, he motioned towards the hot chocolate and said, "There's a hot cup here if you want one."

"Thank you…"

Her voice was soft. Too soft. He watched as she mechanically approached the tray, grabbed a cup, and sat down next to him on the sofa. Yuki, who was curled up on the armrest, meowed over at the two before sticking her head out. Anzu chuckled and lightly scratched behind her ears.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Better," she admitted.

He nodded again. "That's good." An awkward silence soon hung itself between the two, and he watched as Anzu took a sip of her drink. She smiled lightly over at him.

"Thank you so much for this, Kaiba. I really mean it. I… I was really scared there."

Waving his hand, he muttered, "It's fine."

"No, it's more than that." He frowned and turned to look directly at her. "You… I couldn't call anyone else. I just couldn't. But I knew I could call on you and Mokuba. And… I just…"

Tears began to fall down her face. Seto's eyes widened, and his lips slightly parted. He felt he should say something, but he didn't have the slightest clue as to what would be appropriate. Instead, he reached forward and lightly brushed her tears away. "It's fine," he repeated. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Did the cops say anything when they got there?"

"Only that it was best if I stayed away for a bit," she answered rather dryly. "They said they were going to interrogate my neighbors as well as the owner of the apartment complex. They'd be able to get a hold of any video footage available as well, but still, they won't know who did it until it may be too late."

"What all did they take?"

"Money… My savings."

Seto's eyes widened. "Why didn't you have that in a bank?!" he scolded. She flinched, and he immediately regretted it.

"Because…" Sighing, she shook her head. "I know I should have. I know. But I just… I was saving up that money in order to move out of the apartment. I had just about enough to do so, but then…then this happened."

Seto sighed. He didn't like the idea of taking on her problem, but at the same time… "Mazaki, if you need money, just ask."

She blinked and looked over at him. Her pleading eyes unnerved him. He didn't like this position of being her supporter at all, but something told him it was the right thing to do. He broke his gaze away and stared down at his cup of hot chocolate. Taking a sip to further avoid her staring, he added, "Besides, I still have to pay you. And… I mean, if you're here next week, I would pay you for that as well."

"Kaiba…"

"In fact, I should probably be paying you for two jobs. You've not only been watching me but helping me beta test the game." It was a stupid yet somehow logical response, but it sounded entirely out of place. It was him trying to rationalize his sudden kindness, and it only made him more confused.

"I… Um…"

He chanced another peek at her. A fatal error. She was crying again. He moved to brush the tears away, but to his great surprise, she flung himself at him, pressing her head against his chest. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight grasp and released the sobs that she had no doubt been holding back. Tears streamed down her face as her body shook. Completely caught off guard, Seto stayed motionless for a good minute, staring down in shock at her, before he finally managed to get a hold of himself. Setting his cup of hot chocolate down, he wrapped an arm around her and muttered, "It's okay, Anzu. You're safe now."

He knew that words alone would not fix the situation, but it seemed to help. Her sobs stopped, yet he could still feel the tears through his black pajama shirt. _"Her home was invaded. She'll never feel safe in that place again, and her only means of getting out were stolen."_ Frowning, he looked down at her mess of brown, wet hair and realized that supporting her was perhaps the only thing he _could_ do, despite how awkward it was.

"Kaiba… Why? Why would someone do that? Why would they target me?"

He bit his lower lip. The answer easily came to him. _"Because you're a young, single woman who's living in an apparently bad neighborhood."_ But again, something told him telling her that was inappropriate. _"Because people are assholes"_ also didn't sound appropriate, and he mentally growled in frustration. _"What am I supposed to say?"_

"They knocked over everything," she continued, sniffling as she spoke. "A-All my furniture busted, ph-photos broken…my money stolen-"

"But you're still okay," he suddenly interrupted. She looked up at him with big, blue eyes. Eyes that looked lost, confused. What before he was afraid to look at, he now found he couldn't tear himself away from. "You're okay," he repeated, his voice surprisingly soft. "You physically are fine. They didn't hurt you, and that's all that matters. I know they took your money, but I already told you, if you need some, I can get it for you. Especially since I still need to pay you."

"I… B-But my stuff…"

He shook his head and moved a strand of hair from her face. "Listen, Anzu. You're going to be fine. We'll get everything straightened out. The police will figure out who did this, and you'll be safe here for now."

Her large, blue eyes scanned his face. He wondered if he should say anything more when she suddenly asked, "Kaiba…what do you do? When you…you feel lost?"

The question caught him entirely off guard. He blinked in shock and merely stared at her. "Wh… Where did that come from?"

Shrugging, she placed her cheek against his chest once more and muttered, "I don't know. I guess I'm tired. Forget I asked."

Seto sighed and shook his head. "Honestly, during some rough patches in my life… I played games. Either alone, or with Mokuba. Games were healthy for me. They got me away from the stresses of work, the company, school… They let me forget about all of that."

"Did you play some of the games you have in the game room?"

"Of course. I never sell my games."

"I see…"

He grabbed his cup of hot chocolate and drained it of its contents. He felt more uncomfortable than ever before in his life. Not in pain, but in spirit. This was entirely different than helping Mokuba or picking himself back up. This was his rival's best friend crying into his chest, seeking shelter, which he somehow was more than willing to give. Yet something told him he was fine, that what he was doing was okay. His heart was beating faster than normal, and he questioned every second what he should do, but at the same time, he knew that what he was doing was what Anzu needed. Just support.

"_But that still leaves the question,"_ he thought as he looked down at her once more. All he could see was her mass of brown hair, which appeared to be drying, but she seemed to be calming down. She wasn't crying anymore, or at least he couldn't hear it. _"Why would she come here? Whatever happened to Jounouchi, or Yugi, or, God forbid, even that Honda weirdo? Why come to me?" _He stared down at her a good, long minute. He wanted to ask, but he knew that it would be in poor taste. _"A question for another time,"_ he concluded before sighing heavily. "Well, I guess we should go to bed," he muttered.

He blinked in surprise. She didn't move.

"Anzu…?"

Moving her slightly, he saw to his surprise that she had fallen asleep. He felt a blush rising to his cheeks and quickly suppressed it. "Shit, now what am I going to do?" he thought aloud. He looked around. His wheelchair was fortunately directly in front of him, while another sofa was positioned perpendicular to the one they were sitting in, making a ninety-degree angle in the center of the room. Sighing heavily, he gently moved away from Anzu, setting her slowly down onto the sofa. He then grabbed the armrest of the wheelchair and, taking a deep breath, pushed himself up to a standing position.

"_I can do this…"_

Moving the wheelchair with him for support, he slowly approached the piano seat where Irika had set the blankets and pillows. He reached out and grabbed them before setting them into the seat of the wheelchair. He then walked back to the sofa and took the top blanket off. Using one hand, he clumsily unfolded it and laid it overtop her. She was out cold, however, and barely moved at the sensation.

He then walked over to the other couch, which was fortunately only a few steps away. Taking his seat, he grabbed the second blanket as well as the pillow and set up a small, makeshift bed. Grabbing the remote on the armrest of the sofa, he pressed a button and smirked when the lights went out. He then laid down and pulled the blanket over him. Taking one final look at Anzu, he smiled when he noticed her curl up underneath the blankets.

"Goodnight, Mazaki." He closed his eyes, and the sound of the rain quickly put him to sleep.


	19. 19 : Emotional Tension

Chapter 19 : Emotional Tension

Seto smirked victoriously as Roland opened the car door. "Do you want me to help you, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Let me see…" Swiveling his legs around, he placed the end of the sleek, black cane on the asphalt driveway. Using his upper body strength, he pushed himself up to a standing position. His smirk widened. Sure, there was pain, but it was minor, surely not as much as he felt the previous week. "I think I will be fine."

"Very well, Mr. Kaiba," Roland responded, closing the door shut once Seto had taken a few steps forward. "I shall bring the wheelchair inside just in case. It is good to see you standing again, Mr. Kaiba."

"_It's great to be standing again,"_ Seto thought. He had to take it a step at a time, but he found that the slowness paled in comparison to the feelings of autonomy he now had again. _"I can move on my own without someone having to push me around. I don't need someone following my every move in case something happens to me."_ Glancing down at his wrist, he thought, "_Once this heals, I'm practically done with the hospital visits."_

That was a stretch; Seto's leg was still in somewhat bad condition. It throbbed in slight pain as he made his way up the ramp and towards the main entrance to his manor. He knew he would have to follow the doctor's instructions more closely this upcoming week, taking several hours a day to just walk around and rebuild the strength he had lost. Stairs were still an issue for him, and he made the decision coming home to remain on the first floor of his home for the time being. But it was just as Dr. Akika had said; now that he had the cane, the longest part of physical therapy had begun: the last part.

Entering through the main double doors, he smirked when Irika gasped in shock at him. "M-Mr. Kaiba!" she exclaimed. A smile quickly spread across her lips. "Y-You are walking again!"

"Almost," he replied. "I still need the cane, but—"

"—Oh, but this is wonderful!" Clasping her hands together, she exclaimed, "I shall make a large breakfast in celebration! Eggs, toast! Oh, what else? How about bacon? An American-style, big breakfast?"

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Very well. I am sure Mazaki would appreciate that as well." Irika nodded and went to leave. "Speaking of…" She halted and turned at the sound of his voice. "Has she awoken yet?"

"Not that I am aware of, Mr. Kaiba," Irika responded. "Why? Should I wake her?"

"No. I was just curious."

"Right."

She nodded and swiftly left to prepare what Seto thought sure was to be the biggest breakfast he had in years. He could hear Roland pushing his wheelchair through the front doors and turned to look over at him. "Put that in the gaming room," he ordered. "I am going to check on our guest."

"Right away, Mr. Kaiba."

Roland soon disappeared around the corner, while Seto, equipped with his cane, dragged behind. He didn't care. Though he didn't show it, his heart was skipping beats. He was walking again. He would soon be okay. It took several minutes to make it down the hallway to the study room, but he felt proud when he finally did so. Peeking in through the archway, he smiled at the sight before him.

Anzu was still sleeping on the couch, curled up in a slight ball. Her hair was an absolute mess, no doubt caused by her having fallen asleep with wet hair. Yuki was climbing up next to her, and Seto blinked in surprise when he saw Yuki paw at her cheek.

"Yuki, stop," he hissed, taking a step forward to get the cat's attention. He made his way over to the piano seat and plopped down onto the black leather, patting his good knee once he was comfortable. "Yuki." The cat blinked over at him and meowed. She then jumped down off the sofa and rushed towards him before placing her paws on his lap. "What's the matter, Yuki?" he whispered as he leaned down and, with his good hand, picked her up. She meowed at him again and pressed her paws against his chest. Reaching up, she began licking his face, and he chuckled lightly at the sensation. "Yuki, what's gotten into you? Are you begging for attention again?" The cat had those moods, where all she wanted was to get into trouble. "You're just like a little kid, you know that?"

Her second lick seemed to confirm it. He chuckled again and shook his head. Again, with his good hand, he began scratching her behind the ear. "Don't bother her," he instructed. "She's sleeping right now."

The cat seemed to take in his words, for she meowed and crawled off his lap to sit next to him. Yet to his surprise, the cat immediately proceeded to pounce behind him, landing hard on the piano keys and setting off a cacophony of noise. "Yuki!" he shouted, unable to contain his surprise. The cat meowed, stepped on another set of keys, then jumped off the piano and ran before Seto could threaten her. He blushed slightly when he noted Anzu moving in her sleep. _"That damn cat…"_

He watched as Anzu slowly opened her eyes and frowned. "Sorry about that…" he muttered. "The cat almost never does that."

She smiled and groggily shook her head. "It's fine," she said as she yawned. Moving a hand to cover her mouth, she smiled and stretched before curling back up against the sofa. "How is it that you have the comfiest sofa ever made?" she asked playfully. She was staring at him with half-open eyes and a wide smile.

"Money and having Mokuba pick the furniture," he explained.

"Mokuba's got good taste."

He smirked. "Sometimes…"

"What time is it?"

"Around 9:15."

"Oh… So wait…" Sitting up, she ran a hand through her messy hair and asked, "Did you already go to physical therapy?"

He smirked and nodded down at his cane. "Yes, I did."

Her jaw dropped. "Wait-! You…you got the cane?!"

He nodded a second time. "I still have the wheelchair, but now, in order to build strength, I was given the cane. I can now get around on my own."

"That…that's great!"

He smirked at her reaction, but something else was bothering him. _"Last night, she was broken. This morning, she seems her typical, cheerful self. Is this normal? Do people adjust to having their house broken into this quickly?"_

"Ugh, I don't want to get up," she complained, falling back into the sofa.

He chuckled. "Then don't. What do you need to do today?"

"Well… I should do some stretches and practice today," she stated, staring down at her blanket. "At least, before I go to my lessons tonight."

His eyes widened. "You're going to ballet practice despite what happened?"

She shrugged. "There's… There's not much I can do about what happened. And it's getting close to recital time. The other girls would be upset if I took the day off."

He scoffed at the notion. "Anzu, your…" Biting his tongue, he realized what he was about to say and decided to change it. Criticizing her friends now would not be a good start. "I… I am sure your fellow dancers would understand you taking one night off after having your apartment broken into."

She sighed and bit her lower lip. "I don't know…"

"Are you dancers _that _serious about your work?"

"A funny question coming from someone like you." He blinked in surprise; he fell right into that one. She chuckled and added, "But no, I mean… I think they would understand, but I…" She chuckled again and shook her head. "It's kind of hard to explain, but dancing has always helped me calm down and forget my problems. It's my kind of therapy, you know? I think… I think going to practice tonight will help me. It will give me a sense of balance."

"_Just like my video games gave me…"_ His eyes widened, remembering her seemingly bizarre question from the previous evening. He nodded in understanding and said, "Well, I don't know if Mokuba told you or not, but we do have a sort of work out space in the other wing if you wish to use it."

"Thanks!" she exclaimed. Stretching her arms over her head, she sighed contently before standing, flattening her blue robe out as she did so. "Ugh, I need to get changed. I shouldn't have fallen asleep in this thing. Oh, and um…" Blushing slightly, she muttered, "Sorry I fell asleep on you last night."

Rolling his eyes, he waved his hand and said, "Whatever."

"Well, I'm going to go get dressed before I make a decision about what to do tonight. What I might actually do today is work out in the gardens, if that's okay."

"The gardens?"

She nodded. "I like exercising outside. The fresh air is so much better than the stuffy gym rooms."

He shrugged and replied, "It's up to you."

She nodded a second time before walking out of the room to wherever her things were. Seto leaned back against the piano, making sure not to hit any of the keys. _"She seems to already be doing much better. It's almost as if she's accepted what's happened and knows she simply has to move on from it."_ Whatever remnant of a memory he had of the former Anzu, it melted in that moment. _"What happened to that brainless cheerleader those few years ago? She now seems so mature, so well-rounded. Was she always like this, hiding it from her idiotic band of friends? Or was it that I never noticed? And why do I even care?"_ He blinked at the final question and openly scoffed at himself. _"More importantly, why is it so surprising? I mean, several years have indeed passed since high school. We've all changed a little bit. Even me. So why is it so shocking that she, too, has changed?"_

"Mr. Kaiba?"

He jerked and turned to see Irika standing in the hallway. She bowed towards him and said, "Breakfast is prepared. Shall I tell Anzu?"

"I think she is in the bathroom getting dressed," Seto replied. Standing with the support of his cane, he said, "Wait until she comes back to tell her. Also, I take it we are eating in the dining room again?"

"If that is what you prefer."

"Yes. I want to get back to as normal a schedule as possible."

"Understood, Mr. Kaiba." He watched her disappear around the corner and slowly followed behind only to hear the bathroom door behind him open. Out peeked Anzu.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Breakfast is in the dining room."

"Oh, okay. Be ready in a few minutes."

"Take your time," he muttered, waving his hand as she disappeared into the room once more. He then turned and continued down the hallway.

Finally making it to the dining room, he sank into the chair at the head of the table and sighed heavily. It felt good, not having to eat in the study again. The cushioned, wooden chair felt comfortable, and he noted that Irika had clearly just cleaned off the dining room table, which had no doubt collected a bit of dust from disuse, for it shone brilliantly. Above, the small chandelier illuminated the long room, and the cabinets lining the walls revealed the inner dishes, silverware, and party trays, all sparkling clean. _"Maybe today, I can finally get a sense of normalcy."_ He watched as Irika set several platters on the table containing scrambled eggs, pieces of toast, a plate of bacon, and a bowl of mixed fruits, including grapes, pineapple slices, and strawberries. She then set two plates at the table before bowing and leaving him alone.

He reached forward and quickly began serving himself when he heard footsteps approaching. He watched as Anzu smiled down at him before taking the seat to his right. He noticed that she was wearing a light blue, button-up, v-neck t-shirt. Her hair had been brushed through, returning to their usual straightness, and her eyes widened upon seeing all the food. "Is this…breakfast?" she asked, the shock apparent in her voice.

Seto chuckled. "Trust me, it's not always like this. Irika seems excited that I have the cane."

"As she should be. That's a great step in your recovery."

"Yeah…"

"You aren't happy about it?"

"No, I am. I'm very happy about it. I can now get around on my own. I will be able to go back to KaibaCorp next week, if this weekend works out in my favor."

"That's great!" She reached forward and began placing things on her plate, and Seto smirked as he took a bite of bacon. It had been a long time since he had such a meal. If he had to guess, the last time was for a meeting with an American businessman.

"_Oh, returning to all that crap…"_ His smirk curdled somewhat. While he was excited to return to working on the video game, checking his contraptions at KaibaCorp, and otherwise being in his second home, i.e. the office, the thought of returning to the idiots and businessmen did little for him.

"Kaiba…" He blinked and glanced over to see her picking up a small grape. She smiled lightly over at him and said, "I know this is a big favor to ask, but…do you think I could stay here? For the weekend? I hope the cops call at some point to update me on my apartment, but until I hear from them, I don't know what's going on. A-And I'll admit, I'm not too fond of returning to the apartment anytime soon." Popping the grape into her mouth, she added, "I mean, I know you don't really need me to help you around anymore, but—"

"We still have to beta test the game," he interrupted. He immediately felt a blush rising and looked down at his plate of food to avoid her gaze. "I mean, we're nearly halfway through the game. Might as well…play through the rest of it."

"So I can stay?"

He glanced up at her to see her hopeful expression. _"What the hell are you doing to me, Mazaki?"_ he thought. It should have been a simple yes. Logically, it made perfect sense, and he wasn't _that _cruel as to send her back to her invaded apartment. But there was something else going on. There was an emotional tension he suddenly felt. He nodded. She smiled widely.

"Th-thank you…thank you so much."

Clearing his throat, he said, "It's no trouble. It's not like we don't have the room to house someone else."

"I know, but still… I really appreciate this."

He stared for a minute at her as she returned to eating her food. _"It's really not that big of a deal. So then why…why do I feel so strange about this?"_ Returning his attention to his own plate, he took another bite of bacon and wondered, _"Am I keeping her around to really beta test? Or...or what? I'm just being polite. She needs a place to stay, she's been staying here the past week… It makes sense she would continue staying here." _So then why did he feel like there was something different? Sighing, he took a bite of scrambled eggs and mentally shook his head. _"If she's going to be dancing today, I need to figure out what I'm going to do. I just said I would continue beta testing with her; I can't turn around and beta test without her now. So what can I do? I should definitely check KaibaCorp email, perhaps get working on marketing stuff, figure out how Mokuba and I are going to celebrate our game…"_

He glanced over once more at Anzu. She was happily eating her meal, humming a slight tune to herself as she did so. _"Maybe that will cheer her up, having all three of us hang out. Besides, it makes sense to do it this weekend. She'll conveniently be here, I just got my cane, and Mokuba can stay up late since he doesn't have school."_ He briefly recollected having been against her celebrating with the two, but now it seemed entirely natural for her to do so. _"Another sign that something is wrong with me."_

"Oh my goodness, so much food," Anzu muttered.

He chuckled. "You don't have to eat it all, you know."

She laughed and pat her belly. "I would hope not. I need to keep in good condition for the recital." Pushing her plate away, she stood and stretched her arms, revealing a white skirt below her blue shirt. "I'm going to go outside and see what the weather is like. Thank you so much for this awesome breakfast!"

"Thank Irika. She made it."

"Will do! And, um, thanks again. For everything." He frowned and looked over at her. "I mean, I know I called late last night, and you don't really need me around anymore, so… I just appreciate all you're doing for me, Kaiba. It's very kind of you."

"I… It's nothing, Anzu."

She smiled and nodded. Watching as she left the room, Seto sighed and glanced down at his plate. Irika had since re-entered.

"Where is she going?" Irika inquired.

"Outside to check the weather. She liked the breakfast, by the way, as did I."

"Oh, it was no trouble. Besides, she's a very sweet girl. I don't mind."

"She's staying for the weekend," Seto replied. "Prepare a spare bedroom upstairs for her today, if you get the chance."

"R-Right away, Mr. Kaiba."

He listened as Irika's footsteps faded in the distance. Soon he was left in silence. Placing his head in his hand, he briefly thought, _"Damn, I'm getting soft." _He shook his head. _"Whatever. What's done is done, and I don't mind her staying at all." _Remembering how she fell asleep in his lap, he sighed and glanced once more down at his plate. _"Anzu… What are you doing to me?"_

He needed to get to work. Standing from his seat, he grabbed his cane and began heading towards the game room. Anything to stop thinking about what it was he was beginning to feel for her.


	20. 20 : A Good Friend

_Hey everyone!_

_Sorry this took awhile to write and upload. I had a presentation for my video game thesis yesterday that I spent all weekend preparing for. If you're interested in the topic (I analyze survival horror in light of literary theory), you can check out the YouTube video on my blog. The link to my blog is on my profile page._

_Anywho, back to the story!_

* * *

Chapter 20 : A Good Friend

"_How does he type so fast for such long periods of time?"_

Curiosity got the best of her yet again. For perhaps the twentieth time that evening, Anzu glanced over. Sitting at his computer was Kaiba, typing furiously away at his laptop. An empty cup of coffee was next to him, and she chuckled when Yuki leaned down and sniffed at the rim of the cup.

"Sorry, Anzu."

Anzu blinked in surprise and turned to see Mokuba walking in front of the television screen, a bundle of papers in his hands. She waved his interruption aside and watched as he approached his older brother, who looked back at the sound of Mokuba. "Hey Seto, what do you think of these?" Mokuba set the papers down on the table, and Seto, sitting up straighter, began examining them. From her position, she could tell they were drawings and designs of something, but it was hard to make out just what it was.

"Do we really want to show that boss on the front cover?" Kaiba asked. "That's a somewhat pivotal character in the game…"

"Players don't know that," Mokuba argued. "Plus, I think he's the coolest looking one, next to the serpent. And I don't like the idea of having the first major boss on the front cover."

"The first boss is technically the wall demon," Kaiba replied, picking up another sheet as he did so. "But I see your point. You might want to move the image of the player a little lower, though. It looks like he's right on top of the serpent. Moving it a little lower will create a sense of distance."

"Okay. I'll quickly do that, then I'm heading to bed." Stretching his arms overhead, Mokuba sighed and spun around to smile at Anzu. "How is the _Phantasy Star Online_ coming along?"

She smiled and raised the controller as if to show off. "Already level 10!" she exclaimed.

"Nice! Did you beat the dragon yet?"

"No, not yet."

"She's doing the quests," Kaiba explained. He turned the chair around to smirk at her. "Besides, she tried fighting it about an hour ago and got annihilated."

"I didn't know he would pop out of the ground like that!" she exclaimed, glaring playfully at the two. Mokuba laughed, and even Kaiba's smirk threatened to turn into a smile. The dragon boss of the level she was playing had scared the crap out of her, digging into the ground only to pop out and kill her in one hit. She had been too angry and freaking out to notice Kaiba's laughter at her reaction, but remembering it, she noted that lack of condescension in it. A unique thing from the billionaire.

"You'll get there eventually," Mokuba remarked. Patting his brother's shoulder, he said, "I'mma head to bed. Try not to stay up too late."

Kaiba nodded and gave his brother a small hug before watching him walk out of the game room. Turning in his chair, he returned his attention to the laptop, and Anzu could immediately hear his typing continue. The scene struck her as cute, and she couldn't help but smile.

"_I guess this is just their typical life,"_ she thought as she returned to playing the game. _"It's funny. Even when I was watching over him, I never really got a sense of what daily life was like here. This must be what they do: Kaiba works, and Mokuba plays or helps him. And with Yuki… It's unorthodox, but I guess they do make a sort of cute, little family."_

She slowly went back to looking at Kaiba again. _"I wonder why he's being so nice to me… It's not like we've had the best relationship in the past. I really didn't think he would let me stay here over the weekend, but not only did he agree, but he has yet to ask about Yugi and the gang. With all our previous arguments, I thought for sure he'd bring them up at some point. But he has yet to do so."_

"Yuki, what are you doing?" She chuckled when the cat knocked the empty cup over, licking the inside. Kaiba immediately picked the cup up and placed it on the other side of the desk before petting the cat.

"How old is Yuki?" she inquired.

"We don't know," Kaiba answered. "She looked pretty young when we found her, maybe a year or two old. I like thinking of her as being younger, anyways. She certainly has the energy of a young cat."

"What made you decide to take her in?"

"It was obvious she was living somewhere on the grounds. When we asked around, we discovered one of our neighbors had abandoned her when he moved, and she had wandered out into the wilderness. There was no point in letting her suffer or starve, and I felt it stupid to bring her to a shelter when she was such a social cat. So we took her to the vet, got her all her vaccinations, and here she is." Petting her once more, Kaiba let the slightest trace of a smile cross his lips. Anzu's eyes widened at the sudden softness in Kaiba's face.

"Mokuba told me you decided to name it Yuki after the snow…"

"That, and her whiteness."

Anzu nodded and watched as Kaiba scratched behind Yuki's ear once more before turning back to his laptop. He began typing again, and she scoffed at his movements. "How on Earth do you type like that?"

"Coffee, perseverance, and a knowledge that time is limited," he answered.

"Aren't you tired?"

"Yes."

"Then why don't you go to sleep?"

"Because I need to get this done."

"Is it due tomorrow?"

"No."

"Then why do you need to get it done tonight?"

Kaiba whipped his head around to look at her. She was expecting his usual glare of condescension and an insult, but what she got was a smirk, a quirked eyebrow, and the question, "Don't you have a dragon to defeat?"

He turned back to his laptop before Anzu could process what had just transpired. _"Did he just…act…playfully with me?"_ She had to double check she heard right. "What if I already beat the dragon while you were talking to Mokuba?"

"Do you really think I'm that stupid? Besides, I know the music to the game. You've been hanging around the shopping center this whole time. Just what the hell are you buying? The entire mall?"

Anzu blinked in surprise and blushed. "N-No…"

"Not that I care. Honestly, you should be buying new items at this point. What's your armor?"

Even though he was typing, he was talking with her. Another first. Realizing he was waiting for an answer, she quickly brought up her menu and said, "Um… just a Frame."

"No pluses?"

"No."

He scoffed. "Yeah, you need new armor. Get some Meseta and buy yourself some new equipment. No wonder the dragon obliterated you in one shot."

And _advice?_ "When did you become so helpful?" she asked before thinking.

He again scoffed. "Sorry if being polite to guests is one of my policies."

"I'm honestly surprised you being polite to _anyone_ is one of your policies."

He turned to look at her once more, and this time, it _was_ a glare. "Would you rather I not help you?" His voice was pure ice.

Realizing her mistake, she blushed and muttered, "N-No, I mean… What I meant was…"

"Whatever." Watching him turn back in his chair, she bit her lower lip and shook her head. She then stood from her seat and walked over to the desk.

"Kaiba, that's not what I meant," she insisted.

"Oh really? Then what _did_ you mean?"

He was still typing, avoiding her gaze. That coldness from before had returned in full force; she could almost feel the imaginary wall around him closing her off. "I just…" Sighing, she crossed her arms over her chest and said, "I've never seen this side of you before. I've never seen you help others. I only ever saw you in competitions, when the game meant everything and you were willing to do anything it took to win. When you were cold to us…"

"Sounds like you want me to keep treating you in that fashion."

"Oh, don't be stupid!" she exclaimed. He blinked in shock and turned his head to look at her. "I really like seeing you like this, just being your natural and everyday self! Not so obsessed with the game or with winning! And you don't know how much I appreciate everything you've done for me. I mean, you could have easily told me to go hang out with one of my friends, but you didn't ask questions, you just let me stay here for the weekend. Whether you think it's some kind of payment or not, it means a lot to me! I-I really like spending time with you and Mokuba, and I… I'm starting to really…consider you…a…a good friend."

Her voice faltered at his gaze. Both just stared at each other. His eyes were wide, and she could see the shock evident in his face. His lips were parted, and he seemed unsure of what to say. Her own face felt warm, indicating she was blushing at the sudden proclamation. The only thing that moved was Yuki, and she meowed, attempting to add comical relief to the silence that threatened to envelop them. Yet nothing about it was comical. She felt her heart pounding in her chest. His look of confusion had completely disarmed her.

Kaiba slowly returned his attention to his laptop, yet his fingers refused to move. He inhaled and slowly exhaled before muttering, "I think…you have a dragon to defeat."

She had unnerved him. Unnerved him with kindness. The look on his face was one of utter confusion. He almost looked scared. And she had been unnerved by his being unnerved. Seto Kaiba looking lost was not a typical sight to see. "Kaiba…"

He was still staring at the laptop. She knew she had to say something, to _do_ something. She couldn't have him thinking she meant ill by what she said. But in her moment of shock, her mind went blank. And he certainly was unable to do anything with her standing there. They were at a standstill. Retreating to the sofa once more, she picked up the controller and began returning to the teleporter in the video game. The only sound was the music. There was no typing.

Several minutes passed like this. Anzu's heart beat heavily in her chest. There was still no typing. No movement.

Hearing a _click_, she peeked over to see Kaiba closing his laptop. He slowly backed out his seat and, grabbing his cane, pushed himself up to a standing position. "Quit the game," he instructed as he turned to face her.

She could feel her face flush. She had upset him. "K-Kaiba, I didn't mean—"

To her utter shock, he approached the Gamecube, grabbed a second controller, and made his way to the sofa where she was sitting. Plopping down next to her, he said with a perfectly straight face, "Quit the game, then restart. I'll join you."

"Kaiba…?"

"You're going to need help with that dragon. And I have some leftover materials that you might be able to use." Looking over at her, he smirked and asked, "Well, do you want the help or not?"

Her jaw dropped. "You're…not mad at me?"

"If I was mad at you, would I be wasting my time to help you with this quest?"

He turned to avoid her gaze, but beneath his smirk, there was a smile. Without even thinking, she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, sighing in an exaggerated manner out of sheer relief. She could feel him jerk in surprise underneath her, and she swiftly let go of him. "You are SO cruel!" she exclaimed, playfully hitting his shoulder before going back to her controller. "Making me think I pissed you off… Dammit, Kaiba, you scared me."

"Scared you?"

"Yes! I don't want you being angry with me! You've done a lot for me, and then I go and—"

"Anzu." It had been definitive, and she immediately stopped speaking and returned to looking at him. "I'm not going to pry into your business. But just know that you can stay here. Until your apartment is fixed or even until you find another place, should you choose to take that route. I don't care if it's for a weekend or a week. Or even two. But—" Yuki suddenly jumped onto his lap, and he smiled down at her before continuing. "—I won't kick you out. You're welcome to stay here until you feel comfortable returning home." Shaking his head, he added, "And no, I'm not angry at you."

Her heart skipped a beat. She watched as Kaiba sighed heavily before shaking his controller. "Now, let's get done with this boss. I'm tired and want to go to bed soon."

She quickly exited out of the game. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"Thank you, Kaiba."

"Seto." She froze and slowly looked over at him. He was staring back. This time, his gaze was certain. There was no confusion. "If you're going to be staying here, just call me Seto."

She smiled. "Thank you…Seto."


	21. 21 : The Police Station

Chapter 21 : The Police Station

During his lifetime, Seto Kaiba had been called many things. Cold and heartless. Ruthless and calculating. Brave, courageous, a caring older brother. Even those magazines had words to say, sexiest bachelor and the like.

But it was the first time he had ever been called a friend.

The sound of footsteps caught his attention, and he glanced up to see two cops coming in through the front doors. He shifted slightly in his seat, keeping his head down to avoid gaining any attention. He hadn't been thrilled by the idea of tagging along with Anzu to the police station. After all, he had made it a point over the past week to keep out of the public eye as much as possible. He was in a weakened state, and not only would his business rivals revel in the idea of him being somewhat crippled, but the paparazzi would kill each other to find out what happened to the mighty CEO. The whole thing was disgusting. But Anzu had asked for his support. He wasn't sure what kind of support he could give, sitting out here in the lobby or daydreaming in the car on the ride over, but he could tell she was flustered. It was hard to say what the police were going to tell her, and so he tagged along.

The lobby of the police station was surprisingly nice. An older gentleman was sitting in the opposite corner of the room reading a newspaper, while a t.v. in the corner nearest Seto showed the local news station. He leaned back in the chair and was startled by the silence. In the doors beyond, he could hear the cops moving around, talking with each other and messing around with their guns and technology. But the lobby was kept quiet, perhaps for a good reason. He appreciated it, at any rate.

He wondered what Anzu was hearing from the policemen. _"Hopefully some good news,"_ he thought, closing his eyes and readjusting in his seat once more. His gaze fell to the floor, and he reflected on the previous evening, particularly the awkwardness that had occurred. _"She called me a friend, though she faltered while saying it. What does that mean? Was she just saying that to be nice? No, she isn't the type to do such a thing. She is too honest, perhaps even to a fault. So then what was last night all about?"_

His logic was running in circles. _"It makes sense we have grown closer. I've been stuck with her the past week, and neither of us are who we were in high school. She has obviously become a much more mature, if still a bit too cheery, woman, and I… I can't say I'm as harsh as I used to be. To businessmen, of course I am, but not to others outside of work. Mokuba's told me time and time again how getting out of Duel Monsters seems to have been better for me in the long run. Even Anzu noted the change. So we're a little different, and again, we've been stuck together. Of course we'd grow closer. But…are we really friends?"_

A man suddenly burst through the front door of the police station, a camera in hand, and rushed past both Seto and the older gentleman into the station. The older gentleman glanced over at Seto and shrugged before returning his attention to the newspaper. Seto smirked and returned his gaze to the tile floor.

"_Anzu was friends with Yugi and the gang for years. They spent all their time together, it seemed. So how is it I'm now a friend to her? I offered her a place to stay because I don't believe in abandoning others. I know all too well what that feels like; I could never put someone else in that position."_ His hand instinctively clenched at the thought, but he swallowed back the emotions that threatened to surface. _"Even so…does that make us friends? And what does that say about our future? I mean, she would not have even been at my manor last night if her apartment wasn't broken into. Would she have said we were friends if I hadn't offered a place to stay? What if nothing had happened?"_

Seto mentally scoffed and slightly shook his head. _"What bullshit. It doesn't matter what could or would have happened. What matters is that she thinks we're friends. Does this mean she wants to spend time with me even if she manages to move back to her apartment? I don't really need her for support anymore, although it would be nice to finish beta testing the game with her."_ Remembering her playing _Phantasy Star Online_ the previous evening, he frowned when he realized how amusing he found her to be. No, not even amusing anymore. It was…enjoyable, having her around. _"Am I going to miss her?"_

Something about his emotions seemed off. _"Mokuba never complained about missing friends, or worrying about friends like this. He was never like this. The only time he couldn't get someone out of his head was his…his first crush…" _Seto's eyes widened at the thought. _"Oh fuck me, no… No, no, no. I am _not_ developing something for her. There is no-"_

The doors leading into the station opened, and he glanced over to see Anzu walking towards him, purse in hand. She looked downcast. He sighed, realizing with a blend of dread and relief that his thoughts would have to be put on hold. He grabbed his cane and stood as quickly as he could. "What's the news?" he asked when she approached him.

"I… I think it would be best to talk about it in the car," she muttered. Tears threatened to surface, and Seto's eyes widened at the sight of her. It hadn't been good news. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he nodded down to her. She smiled lightly in response, and the two turned to leave when the doors leading into the station opened once more.

"No problem, Maeda," the cameraman from before noted. "I found the perfect—" The cameraman, along with the cop, both looked towards the two. The cameraman's eyes widened in shock, and pointing at them, he shouted, "You… You're Seto Kaiba!"

Seto swiftly turned his head away. _"NO! Not now!"_ "Come on, Anzu," he muttered. "Let's get out of here."

"No, that's definitely you!" The cameraman's footsteps echoed off the tile flooring. Before Seto could even prepare himself, the man suddenly pushed his way forward so that he was standing in front of Seto. "Seto Kaiba, the one and only! I'm Oyama, a local news reporter! I work for the station here, but I had heard about—"

"I don't care," Seto interrupted. He went to move forward, but his cane bumped into the reporter, who blinked in shock at it.

"Is this from the accident?!" Oyama inquired. "I-I heard all about it from my colleagues. They were there at the scene of the crime. How did you survive? How are you healing? I heard you were wearing your helmet when riding your bike. Do you always do that? Are you—"

"That's enough!" Both Seto and Oyama turned to see Anzu glaring daggers at him. The tears were still there in her eyes, but now they seemed to be there out of anger rather than despair. She looked more than upset.

"Ah, and who are—"

"What do you care who I am?" she exclaimed. "Can't you see we just want to leave this place? Let him go."

"I-I'm not holding him—"

"You're blatantly standing in his path, and there is no possible way you couldn't have noticed his cane."

"I-I was just curious as to how the CEO was doing!" Oyama insisted, raising his hands as if in innocence. The cop, Maeda, had since stepped forward. Seto glared slightly over Maeda, who seemed to be taking pleasure in watching this unfold. "I mean, I remember taking plenty of photos of you, Mr. Kaiba, way back when you were still in high school. Back when you and Yugi were playing all them card games! You broke my camera all those years ago!"

Seto smirked. He had broken so many paparazzi cameras that this Oyama's was just a blip in his memory. "Congratulations. What about it?"

"I remember demanding compensation, but I never received it."

"You were infringing on my private property, if memory serves me right," Seto remarked. "A violation of the law, I might add."

"Breaking a person's property is just as in violation as—"

"Okay, okay, that's enough," the cop remarked, taking a step forward. "Let it go, Oyama."

"But that was a priceless camera!" Pointing a finger at Seto, he shouted, "Just 'cuz you're a billionaire doesn't mean you can impede on my rights to a life!"

"You were impeding on my life. A favor for a favor."

"Oyama, step aside!" Maeda ordered.

Seto shrugged when Oyama refused to move. "Maybe you should have thought of that before you came onto my property. Now I suggest following my friend's instructions and getting out of my way."

"Let them go," the cop insisted.

"Fine, since my questioning clearly upsets you so much," Oyama continued, shaking his fists at Seto, "I'll let you two go. I hope things are going well for you, Mr. Kaiba, as well as for your lady friend. I can't imagine why you would be at the police station, but it can't be good."

Seto's eyes widened. _"Oh shit…"_ This was a trap. This man knew someone who was going to make a profit off of the information that Seto Kaiba, CEO of KaibaCorp, was at a police station with a woman. He knew how they worked. They were all spiders crawling on the same web. If he couldn't publish it, his friend very well could. Growling, he turned to the cop and asked, "I assume my rights of privacy are protected here?"

"But of course, Mr. Kaiba!" the cop exclaimed, seemingly startled by the question.

"Then tell Mr. Oyama that, should he tell any of his friends that I was here at the police station, he will be charged with hindering an on-going investigation concerning a burglary involving my friend here."

"M-Mr. Kaiba, that's not—"

"And furthermore, should he in any way follows my friend here in public, it will be considered as harassment in the eyes of the law, and that the cops will be called, and he will be treated accordingly."

The cameraman was shaking in front of him, his eyes wide with rage. "Y-You can't threaten me like that!"

"I can, because I can tell you've got a friend with the paparazzi, and I refuse to—"

The pain came before he even registered the blow. Oyama had sent a swift kick forward, not at his leg, but at his cane. With such a loss of balance, Seto felt himself fall forward onto his knees, and he couldn't suppress the gasp of utter shock as pain shot up his leg. He managed to land on his hands and knees, but the sudden bend felt like a knife in his kneecap. His breath hitched in his throat. For a split second, he thought he felt something twist. His stomach contracted, and he nearly vomited. "Hey, that's enough Oyama!" the cop shouted, finally getting involved in a manner that correlated with his job.

Seto swallowed. His breath quickened. His leg felt like it was on fire. Gasping in pain, he slowly went to push himself up. He could hear Oyama being taken away, with the cop saying things like, "You're already in trouble, and now you do stupid shit like that?!" But while Oyama's voice faded, Seto's pain remained.

And that's when he felt it. A hand on his shoulder. He glanced over to see Anzu staring down at him with wide, worried eyes. Holding out her hand, she muttered, "Here, hold onto me."

He slowly grabbed onto her, placing one hand on her shoulder and one in her hand, and carefully, very carefully, rose to his feet. The pain felt unbearable. His breath came out in short gasps. He was shaking. It felt like his leg was torn. He leaned against her for support and waited until she placed the cane in his hand. Another cop had since come out into the lobby. "I am so sorry about that, Mr. Kaiba," the cop stated, moving to stand in front of the two. A female cop. "Oyama is getting into all sorts of trouble. We—"

"Then why was he out here?!" Anzu exclaimed. Seto glanced over. He imagined this was what she looked like the day she had called the hospital over his therapy. She appeared enraged; her empty hand was clenched in a fist, and her eyes blazed in anger. He had never seen her like this before; she looked even more upset than she had been when he beat Yugi on top of Pegasus's castle.

"I-I—"

"We're getting out of here!" she shouted. "And you better not forget what Kaiba here said earlier!"

"O-Of course. Again, I apologize. We'll deal with Oyama."

Taking a step forward, Seto flinched at the return of pain. It felt like someone was hitting his leg with a metal hammer. He closed his eyes and took a moment to control his breathing. Keeping his free hand on Anzu's shoulder, he then began making his way out of the lobby and into the parking lot of the station. Anzu moved in-sync with him, taking it one step at a time, for which he was grateful. The two managed to make it to her car, and Seto slid into the passenger's seat, hissing slightly in pain as he closed the door shut.

Anzu swiftly walked around the car, climbed into the driver's seat and pulled the door shut. "Just what was that guy's problem?!" she shouted, slamming her hands against the wheel.

"Oh, he was a problem a couple years ago," Seto answered. She turned in shock to look at him. "When you're hunted by the paparazzi like I am, you get to recognize a few. He would have certainly sold us out, telling all sorts of magazines that you and I were here today. I shouldn't have made such a scene, I suppose, but I know a trap when I see one."

Anzu shook her head in disgust. "With everything going on in this world, you would think he would find something better to do with his time."

"You would think…"

She sighed before glancing over at him. "How…is your leg?"

"Hurting," he answered. "Hurting badly."

"You want to go to the hospital?"

He shook his head no. "I just want to go home."

"Okay." He listened as she stuck the keys into the ignition, and the car soon came to life underneath them. "Seto?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry…"

He blinked and swiftly turned to look at her. "Don't be sorry for that idiot," he stated. "You did nothing wrong. Now tell me what the police said."

"I know, but still…"

He shook his head once more. "It's not your fault, and I'll be fine. Now come on. Did they find anything?"

She sighed heavily. "I can't go back to living there," she muttered, leaning back into her seat. "They think it was the neighbor beneath me who did it, but there's no way he could have acted alone, meaning someone else was involved. Some creep with a drug addiction, probably. They told me that I can go back, get whatever things I want and the like, but that I should look into finding a new place, that I'm not safe there. They suspect the apartment manager was in on it, meaning I can't get anyone to help me should another burglary happen. They insist I live somewhere else for the time being, then find permanent residence elsewhere."

Seto slowly nodded in understanding. "Well…you know you can stay at the manor until you find somewhere else."

She rolled her head over to look at him and smiled. "I know," she whispered. Inhaling a large breath of air, she sighed heavily before placing her hands back on the wheel. "So…mind if we stop at my place to collect some things? I know your leg is hurting, but I… I'd like to go earlier rather than later."

Seto shook his head. His leg was throbbing. He needed ice, at the very least. "I would rather go home, to be honest. If you want, I can get Roland to head over and get your things. You can make a list of everything you need from your apartment, and he will be able to bring it tonight."

"Hmm…"

Seto smirked and added, "Besides, he's going out anyway to get some things for tonight. It wouldn't require him going out of his way."

She blinked in surprise at that. "What kind of things?"

His smirk widened. "It's a surprise."

"Oh, you and your freakin' cruelty!" she exclaimed. He chuckled, and she smiled over at him. "Okay, but that sounds good. Now let's go home. Ugh, I can't believe that idiot kicked you! He's lucky I didn't punch him then and there!"

Seto chuckled and merely watched as she went on and on about Oyama. His leg ached and twitched from time to time, but he found himself too preoccupied to pay attention. Listening as she cursed Oyama and his kind, he couldn't help but think, _"Mokuba was right. She is funny when she's angry."_


	22. 22 : Celebration

Chapter 22 : Celebration

The sound of their cups colliding echoed throughout the game room, and Seto smiled as he leaned back in the sofa and took a sip of his hot chocolate. Anzu was sitting next to him, curling up into the opposite corner of the sofa, while Mokuba snagged the recliner. "Three cheers to our first of many games!" Mokuba exclaimed boisterously. Seto smirked and nodded.

"Let's hope," he muttered, taking another sip of his drink. The sounds of _Phantasy Star Online_ filled his ears, and he watched as the main menu appeared on the television screen. His plate of cookies lay on the coffee table, and noticing Yuki going in for the prize, he snatched her up and placed her in his lap. Roland had gone out as asked and bought goodies from Rudia, the place Seto had been going to before he had his accident. It was what they had been waiting for these past few weeks: a time to celebrate their game.

"You sure you don't want to play, Seto?" Mokuba asked. He pouted and held up the controller, shaking it slightly as if to emphasize his desire for Seto to play co-op with him.

Seto shook his head. "I'll watch."

"Positive?"

"Yes."

"Absolutely positively a hundred and twenty percent—"

"Sure. Yes. I'm fine."

"Hmph." Seto smirked at his brother's response and rolled his eyes. When his brother brought up the new screen, however, he knew he was caught. Mokuba's eyes widened, and a smile that put the Cheshire cat to shame slowly formed across his lips. "So when did you make a new character, Big Bro?"

"When I was playing with Anzu last night," he replied. He glanced over to see Anzu smiling over at them. The steam from her hot chocolate hovered in front of her face.

"Oh, so you'll play with Anzu, but you won't play with me? I see how it is."

Seto scoffed. "I didn't feel like hearing her complain about the dragon all night."

"Uh-huh, yeah. Sure you didn't."

"Would you rather I woke you up to help her?"

"I would much rather you play the game with me now."

"I don't want to."

"But you do with Anzu."

The two turned to look at each other. Seto was glaring, while Mokuba cheekily grinned at him, as if decoding one of his secrets. They remained this way for a good handful of seconds before a sound interrupted them. Anzu laughed at their bickering, and both turned to look at her. "It really was just that, Mokuba," she insisted, smiling widely at the two. "I'll even admit I was yelling quite a bit at the dragon. If it hadn't been for your brother, I might not have been able to defeat it last night."

"Did you guys get any further than the dragon?"

Anzu shook her head no as Seto took another sip of his hot chocolate. "No, I wanted to head to bed. Plus, Seto was tired."

"I see…"

Seto stared down at his hot chocolate. Yuki meowed at him and placed her paws on his chest, reaching up to sniff at his drink. "No, Yuki, you can't have any," he remarked. The cat meowed again.

"Awwww, poor kitty," Anzu teased.

"Poor kitty, my ass." He blinked in surprise as Anzu burst out laughing, nearly spilling her drink in the process. She grasped onto her side as her eyes closed, her laughter filling the room. Seto blushed slightly. _"What did I say now?"_

Fortunately, Yuki grabbed his attention by placing a paw on his face. He flinched away and said, "No, stop Yuki."

"Yuki just wants a hug!" Mokuba insisted, smiling widely.

"Don't instigate her anymore," Seto countered. Scratching behind the cat's ears, he sighed when she finally seemed to relax, lying against his chest and staring contemplatively at his cup. He then took another sip of his drink as Anzu finally calmed down from laughing. He sighed, listening as Yuki purred against him.

"She loves you so much," Anzu suddenly muttered, causing Seto to blink in surprise.

"What?"

"Yuki. You can tell she loves you so much. Just look at her." Seto looked down. Yuki was smiling up at him, her eyes wide. She meowed at him as he looked down. He suddenly remembered finding her in the gardens, dirty and a bit worn, having a scratch on her back that was bleeding. He remembered that long night, of taking her to the vet, getting her cleaned up, and starting the investigation the next day in concerns to the cat's original owner. Before he knew it, a smile had formed across his face. A genuine smile. He could feel the strain in his facial muscles. But he made no move to hide it. He simply reached down and scratched underneath Yuki's chin. She closed her eyes, smiled widely, and purred at the sensation.

"She's a spoiled little brat," he concluded before taking a large sip of his drink.

"But you looooove her," Mokuba joked. He stuck his tongue out at Seto, who glared in response. Returning his attention to the television, Mokuba exclaimed, "Well, if everyone else is making a new character, I'm making one too!"

"What did I tell you about following the crowd?" Seto remarked.

"That it's stupid. But you two aren't a crowd."

"We could be." Now it was _his_ turn to tease his brother.

"No you couldn't."

"Of course we could. In fact, we do. We're two, and you're one. Therefore, we're the majority, and I've told you time and time again not to do such a stupid thing as follow the majority."

Seto chuckled as Mokuba turned again to look at his brother. "If I wanna make a new character, I'm going to make a new character." With that, he raised his head in defiance and returned to playing the game.

Hearing Anzu chuckle again, he glanced over to see her smiling widely at him. "What?" he asked when she continued to stare.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

"Something."

She smiled and again shook her head. "Honestly, it's nothing. I'm just entertained watching you two go at it."

Seto scoffed. Finishing his drink, he leaned forward, holding Yuki to make sure she didn't fall, and set his empty cup on the coffee table. He then returned to leaning back into the sofa, petting Yuki's back as he did so. He went to stretch but flinched at the tension in his leg. "Damn that Oyama bastard," he hissed.

"Oyama?" Mokuba repeated. He whistled. "There's a name I haven't heard in awhile. Where did that come from?"

"He was at the police station earlier today," Seto explained. "Bastard was pissed off when I threatened him over his potential to harass Anzu or me, and he kicked the cane to knock me down."

"WHAT?!" Mokuba's eyes widened. "What an asshole. Did you punch him out?"

"I was too busy trying to catch my breath. But I think Anzu put the fear of God in him."

He turned to see Anzu blush slightly, and he, in turn, smiled back. Mokuba chuckled at the comment. "We should just have Anzu on our marketing team," he noted. "She'll make players so afraid to _not_ play our game, they'll have no choice but to buy!"

"I-I'm not _that_bad, am I?" Her eyes widened, and Seto chuckled.

"No, you're fine. Don't worry about it." Her smile returned, and he watched as she took another sip of her drink before setting it down next to his on the coffee table.

"Good. I feel like I'm just causing you all a bunch of problems…"

He swiftly shook his head no. "What did I tell you? You can stay as long as you want. It's not like we don't have the room. Seriously, it's okay. You're fine."

She slowly nodded before sighing and standing from her seat. "Well… I'm going to go upstairs and unpack my things. Thanks again for having Roland go and get them. Though I'm not sure how I feel about Roland going through my underwear."

The image of Anzu's underwear caused Seto's face to go red, though fortunately she was looking at the t.v. screen, and Mokuba was too preoccupied with his game. Neither noticed. He managed to suppress some of it by the time she returned to looking at him. "Yeah, well… You know where the bathroom is upstairs," he muttered. "Feel free to use whatever."

"Okay." Waving slightly, she muttered, "Good night Seto, night Mokuba."

"Night, Anzu," Mokuba replied in a monotone voice. He was sucked into the game world; Anzu's exit was far in the back of his mind. She chuckled at this before turning and leaving the two alone.

Seto sighed heavily and turned to watch his brother play. To his surprise, Mokuba turned to look at him, setting his controller down and crossing his arms over his chest. Seto frowned. "What?" he asked.

Mokuba seemed to be waiting, and indeed, Seto listened as Anzu's footsteps died down the hallway until they were nonexistent, leaving the two alone in silence. Once he was sure Anzu had vanished, Seto went to ask again what was wrong when Mokuba suddenly asked, "So when are you going to ask her out on a date?"

Seto's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped at the question. "I… What?!"

"You can't hide it from me, Seto," Mokuba taunted, stressing each syllable as he spoke. "I know you like her."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice harsher than usual.

"Ugh, Seto, sometimes I wonder how you're so smart about some things but so stupid about other stuff. You definitely like Anzu. It's written all over your face."

"Wh… What are you talking about?" He instinctively reached up with a hand to touch his face, but, checking himself, swiftly moved to pet Yuki instead.

Mokuba sighed and rolled his eyes. "I think I need to set up a mirror in front of you. You've been smiling all evening. Even when we hang out, you don't do that. Not saying I'm jealous or whatever, don't get that idea. But Big Bro, you _definitely_ like Anzu."

"I-I…" Clearing his throat, he said, "Well of course I enjoy spending time with her more than I did before. We've been stuck together, practically in the same room, for over a week now. It makes sense that we're…on friendlier terms."

"You were stuck with Yugi and the others on a blimp for much longer, and you never even tried to become friendly with them."

"I could get away from them."

"You could do that here. You weren't forced to beta test the game with Anzu."

Seto felt his face flush, and he glanced down to see Yuki sleeping on his chest. Picking her up carefully, he managed to maneuver himself so that he was lying on the sofa, staring straight up at the ceiling. He placed Yuki back down on his chest and watched as she shifted slightly before settling back down. "I don't know…"

"I know you don't know. Which is why I'm pointing it out now."

"Mokuba…" He sighed heavily and shook his head. "Whatever." He turned his head and began watching as his brother finally finished creating his new character.

"But hey, in all honesty, Seto, I think you should seriously consider it. I know you aren't good with emotions, but I can definitely see a change in you. It's a good one, and even if you only stay friends with Anzu… I think she's had a really positive effect on you. I hope you don't just abandon her when she finds a new place."

Seto peeked over at his brother. Even though he was staring at the television screen, he looked serious. _"He's growing up…" _Seto bit his lower lip and slowly returned to looking at the game. "We'll see…" he muttered. "We'll see."


	23. 23 : An Unexpected Invitation

Chapter 23 : An Unexpected Invitation

Leaning against the soft bed, Anzu slipped on her pair of pink sneakers before sitting up straight. The room was surprisingly comfy, with antique furniture, a large dresser and closet, and the biggest bed she ever slept in. Sunlight poured in through the bay window, and she smiled at what promised to be a warm, spring morning. _"Great weather for an early morning jog,"_ she thought as she stood from her seat. Straightening her matching pink t-shirt, she grabbed her iPod and cellphone off the wooden shelf and placed them in the pockets of her jean shorts before setting out of her bedroom.

She smiled at the silence as she walked down the carpeted hallway, eventually reaching the main foyer. The entire manor was quiet; it was as if no one was awake yet. _"They probably aren't,"_ she reflected as she descended the stairs. The clock on the wall read 7:34. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she went to leave when a sudden thought struck her. _"I wonder if he's awake... He's usually up pretty early doing work. Even yesterday, a Saturday, he was up surprisingly early. If he is awake, I guess I should tell him I'm going out for a bit. I am supposed to be watching over him, after all, even though he hasn't really needed me for anything yet."_

She swiftly made her way down the now-familiar halls, smiling widely as she did so. _"All these years of not knowing who he was, only to discover that, behind that cold facade, Seto's just a typical, young adult gamer..."_ She couldn't get last night out of her mind. It wasn't that Seto had been sweet, or kind, or gentle. It was simply that he had been human. Watching him and Mokuba spar off against one another, his smartass comments about Yuki, and his smile... She couldn't get his smile out of her head. _"Who would have thought that Seto Kaiba had the most adorable smile ever?"_

Peeking into the spare living room (which still was amusing to her, having a spare living room), she smiled at the sight of Seto lying asleep on the sofa. Yuki was sleeping on top, her tail coming down to occasionally brush against him. She slowly approached him, watching his chest rise and fall. He was dressed in black, silk pajamas, with the top button undone, and as she leaned down next to him, she noticed a faint smile across his lips. _"He looks so vulnerable...his defenses are entirely gone. Just like last night. There was nothing he had to defend himself against. He was just Seto Kaiba...a 22-year-old video game player, with a younger brother and a cat he loves."_

It still shocked her that he had given her permission to use his first name. She tried to imagine what that meant in terms of their relationship. _"Kaiba isn't one to just give people permission to be on a first-name basis. Is this his way of thanking me for the past week? I mean, if there is anything to thank me for. I haven't really helped him with anything other than testing the game, which has been surprisingly fun for me. Is it just that he appreciates my company?"_ Before, that idea would have shocked her. But now, especially after last night... Maybe there was something of friendliness in him after all. Maybe he did consider her a friend. But what about the future? What about after she found an apartment? _"Would we still spend time together, playing games and maybe going out to eat on occasion? Doing just what friends do?"_ It was hard to imagine, but then why give her permission to use his first name?

He groaned slightly in his sleep and rolled over to face her. She watched as he shifted before settling down. She smiled lightly and brushed a few bangs from his face. Her heart skipped a beat when his faint smile returned. She wondered if he was awake, but his lack of reaction indicated he was still asleep.

Standing, she swiftly left him alone and exited the room. Returning to the foyer, she walked through the living room and exited through the back, taking in the soft, morning air. The pool in front of her glistened, and in the distance, she could see the hedge maze. Taking out her iPod, she swiftly chose a song on her iPod and plugged her headphones in. _"Time to go for a jog."_

It was nice knowing she could do this without fear. Usually she had to keep looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was following her. Now, running along the edge of the pool and into one of the many entrances of the hedge maze, she found she was much more focused on her jog. She felt happier, safer, less tense. She felt freer. She began running along the maze, the soft music filling her ears, not caring how deep she went or how far away she ran. The smells of the flowers and hedges filled her nose. A bead of sweat ran down her cheek. She smiled widely. It had been a long time since she had been this happy.

"_Kind of bizarre given that, just yesterday, I was being told by the cops that I couldn't go home,"_ she thought. _"But again, I suppose I have Seto to thank for that. He offered me a place to stay…for however long it takes. He keeps insisting that I'm not a burden on him, that it's okay I stay here. Just more proof that he enjoys spending time with me. I wonder what he really thinks of me__.__ Even though he's friendlier now, I highly doubt he'll ever come out and say we're friends. He's not the type for that. His actions speak more than his words."_

Anzu came to that conclusion the night she thought she had pissed off the CEO. _"He wasn't angry. He was unnerved. He isn't used to people being kind to him, and whenever it happens, he doesn't know how to respond. But rather than yelling at me or getting defensive, he chose to join me in my game. He's…changed."_

And with his changes had come changes in her, specifically her feelings for him. Coming to a halt, she took in a large breath of air and glanced over at the manor. _"I'm not even going to try and deny it. I'm quickly growing attached to him."_ Anzu had plenty of friends over her lifetime to know the difference between a friend and a crush. What she was starting to feel for Seto Kaiba was not something she would feel for a friend. No, this was something more, something that she was very unsure whether she could act on. _"Ayame kept saying I should ask him out on a date. But would that be the right thing to do? It would be so awkward, especially if he isn't interested in me, which I really can't say he is. There's nothing that really screams he cares for me in that manner. Ugh, he's so hard to read sometimes!"_

"_And on top of that, he panicked when I told him I was a friend. How would he react if I had added, "By the way, wanna go out on a date?" He'd freak. No, I can't push this too far. He's already giving me enough by providing me with a good shelter and food while I look for a new place. The last thing I want to do is upset him. But…still…"_ The memory of his smile brought a smile to her own face. _"That night when I fell asleep against him… I fell asleep to the beating of his heart. He held me close, protected me. He's not a robot. He's not an Ice King. He's…"_

A sudden sensation caught her attention. A vibration in her pocket. She blinked in surprise, took her headphones out, and swiftly pulled out her phone. Her jaw dropped upon seeing the name on the caller ID. Answering it, she held it up to her ear and said, "Hello?"

"Hey, uh… Good morning."

It was Yugi Motou.

"H-Hey Yugi, good morning," Anzu replied, startled beyond belief. It was still so early… "How have you been?"

"Not bad, I guess." He sounded a bit strange, though it was hard to tell if that was just him or Anzu. It had been months since the two had spoken to one another. "How have you been?"

"Okay. Pretty busy."

"Yeah, so I heard…"

She frowned at this. "What do you mean?"

"I-I just heard from Jounouchi that you've been busy practicing for your dance recital. It's in a month, isn't it?"

"A little less than two," she corrected.

"Ah, okay."

An awkward silence fell between them. She frowned as she reflected on the moment. _"How things have changed. It's now Seto who I feel comfortable around, and Yugi who puts me on edge." _"So, uh…what have you been up to lately?"

"Not much. Helping Grandpa with the shop. Since the card business is slowly dying, we're restocking with comic books in order to bring in new customers."

"Cool!" she exclaimed. "How is your Grandpa doing?"

"All right. Getting old, naturally. He can't get around so well anymore, and he nearly fell the other week. Pretty soon it's probably just going to be me running the place."

"Aww, I'm sorry to hear about that."

"Yeah…" Another moment of silence passed between the two, and Anzu half considered hanging up right then and there, when Yugi suddenly asked, "Are you busy this afternoon?"

She blinked in surprise. "Um… No, not really. Just jogging right now."

"Would you be interested in getting some lunch?"

Anzu frowned. _"What is going on? Why is he suddenly asking me this?"_ Part of her knew something was wrong, but another part of her was curious. It had been months, after all, since she had seen Yugi. And while it was still awkward around him, she wasn't necessarily hostile towards the idea of hanging out with him. _"Who knows? Maybe we'll be able to discuss some things…get some things out in the open. We haven't been able to do that yet. He's reaching out for a reason…could it be he wants to make amends?"_

"Anzu?"

"Yeah, I'm still here," she said hastily. "Sure, I'd be up for some lunch. Where would you like to meet?"

"How about at Rudia's? They have some really good treats."

Her eyes widened, and she chuckled. "Actually, can we do something different? I had Rudia's last night…"

"Oh… Then what about the little udon noodle stand we used to go to?"

"That sounds good, actually! What time?"

"Just noon?"

She nodded. "Just noon."

"See you then."

She heard the phone click and sighed as she set her phone back in her pocket. _"Well…that was unexpected. I wonder what brought that on." _Putting her headphones back in her ears, she shrugged her shoulders. _"I guess I'll just have to figure it out later. No use in worrying about it now."_ Inhaling a large breath of air, she sighed heavily before picking up her pace once more. _"It would be nice talking about some things that happened. I hate having him be so awkward about it…especially since it happened so long ago. We were such good friends, and we've been through so much. And yet…if he found out I was living with Kaiba…"_

Her eyes widened. _"I'm going to have to be careful with what I say. He finds out I'm living with Seto, and things are going to be bad. Really bad." _Shaking her head, she smiled and thought, _"No use worrying now. I agreed to do this, so I gotta do this. Time to focus on my jog!"_


	24. 24 : Rumors

Chapter 24 : Rumors

"Seto, how far did you get in the game with Anzu?"

Seto glanced up from his laptop and frowned at the t.v. screen. Yuki was curled up next to him, her paw on his lap and her gaze at the computer screen. Mokuba was lying in the recliner sideways, his legs dangling over the armrest and his head propped by the other armrest. Anzu told him she was going out to lunch with a friend, leaving the brothers alone for a bit. "We got a little bit past the part where you talk with Vash and get the quest to go to the Buddhist Temple. Deki is with us now. We explored a few places for resources since she was running low."

"Wow, I'm already past you. You guys have been moving slowly."

"You try moving at a fast pace when you have a new player tagging along."

Mokuba chuckled. "I know, I'm just teasing you."

"You've been doing that quite a bit lately."

"Well, you've been doing lots of things worth being teased about."

"Such as?"

The sound of heels echoed in the distance. He turned as Irika swiftly approached the game room, appearing in the entranceway. She bowed slightly, appearing somewhat out of breath, and said, "Mr. Kaiba, sorry for the interruption, but I thought you should know… Miss Mazaki has returned."

He nodded, confused by her disheveled appearance. "Thanks, Irika. Tell her she can come back here if she wants."

"Well, um… Mr. Kaiba, she's…not doing very well."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"She came home in tears."

He blinked in surprise. "What…?"

"What's the matter?" Mokuba inquired, turning to look at Irika. "Did she say anything about what happened?"

"N-No, I'm afraid not. She simply rushed up to her room."

"Where did she even go? I didn't hear her leaving this morning…"

"That's because you slept in until eleven," Seto scolded. Sighing, he grabbed his cane and pushed himself up. "I'll go talk to her. You keep beta testing."

"Right… Let me know if she's okay."

Irika bowed and swiftly left. Seto mentally cursed as he slowly began making his way out of the room and down the hallway. _"What a rough weekend. First the police station, now whatever it is that happened today. We can't get a freakin' break. But she told me she was going out to eat with someone, so she's not crying about the situation at the apartment. What's happened to her? Why does it seem everything in her life which was stable really isn't? Who did she go out to eat with, and what did they say? Mazaki…what's going on?"_

Arriving in the main foyer, he shuddered at the sight of the stairwell. He had half a mind to leave her alone, to let her sort out her own problems, but something nagged at him. Something inside told him he had to get involved. Grabbing onto the banister of the stairwell, he inhaled and lifted his leg. One step. Then the next. Then the next.

It felt like an eternity, and by the time he made it to the top, his leg throbbed, shaking slightly from the pain, and his breath came out in short gasps. Keeping his hand on the banister, he took a moment to regulate his breathing before placing the majority of his weight on the cane. He took a step forward down the hallway when he saw the doorway to the nearby bathroom open. Out walked Anzu, who swiftly crossed the hallway and entered the spare bedroom. Seto frowned. Even then, he could hear her sniffles. She was indeed crying. _"What the hell happened to her?"_

Approaching the doorway, he knocked lightly and listened as someone moved in the room beyond. "Wh-Who is it?" she asked. He blinked in surprise; he had expected her to open up right away.

"It's just me," he answered. "I, uh…heard from Irika you were upset."

"I-I'm fine."

His eyes widened. He never expected this. _"Usually she is so open about things…what happened?"_ "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Y-Yeah…I'm fine."

He sighed heavily. He hadn't climbed up the stairs just to be turned away at the door, but at the same time, he was the first to respect someone's sense of privacy. Turning around, he went to leave when he heard the lock click on the door. He blinked in surprise, spun back around, and watched as a pair of blue eyes peeked out between the door and the door frame. "Seto…"

His eyes widened. She looked _scared._ "What's wrong?" he asked, hobbling over. The pain in his leg was all but forgotten, and he quickly pushed the door to her room open. She took a step back and began fidgeting, biting her lower lip in worry. "Anzu, what's wrong?" he repeated. He tried to keep his tone soft, but now he knew something was seriously off.

"I… I'm sorry."

And then she did something he didn't expect. She broke down. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she sobbed her heart out. She fell to her knees. Her body shook with her sobs as she covered her face with her hands. Forgetting his own pains, he tossed his cane aside and kneeled down in front of her. He placed one hand on her shoulder and removed her hands with the other, revealing her distraught face. She looked up with eyes full of tears. "Anzu, what are you apologizing for?!" he exclaimed, his own voice faltering at the sight before him. His heart was pounding heavily in his chest, and his mind raced with every possibility under the sun.

"Th-They…they're talking…about us…"

"Who is? Who is talking about us?!"

"The media!" she shouted. Another cry, and she leaned forward against him, sobbing into his shoulder. He instinctively wrapped his arms protectively around her. "Th-That Oyama guy! It had to be him! No one else knows! It was all over the magazines and papers! Someone is saying terrible things about us! One article said that we were dating, another th-that I'm s-some slut of yours, another—"

"Who the _fuck_ said that?!" he hissed, his eyes widening in anger. He made sure his grip didn't tighten around her, but a sudden wave of anger coursed through his body. His eyes turned to slits as he glared at the carpet.

"I-I don't know. I think… I forget. It was one of those magazines."

"Mazaki, don't listen to those idiots!" he exclaimed. "Don't even pay one bit of attention to them. They're life-sucking monsters, with nothing better to do than spreading lies and rumors about those who are superior to them. You can't pay attention to them." He sighed when she continued crying. _"It had to be Oyama. Yesterday was the first time that we've been out in public. He truly sold us out. That…that fucking bastard…"_ Glancing down, he thought, _"But anger isn't going to ease her mind. She's not used to this reality. I can brush it off, but she… She's never had someone do this to her. And God knows what those papers said about her…"_

"And now _he_ knows I'm living here…"

Seto frowned. Looking down at her brown head of hair, he asked, "Who?"

"Yugi…"

Seto's eyes slowly widened. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he moved her out to arm's length and stared directly into her eyes. "You…went out to lunch with Yugi?" It sounded angrier than he meant it to, and he swiftly shook his head. "I'm not angry, but…that's who you went out with?" She nodded. Shrugging, he asked, "So what's the problem? Isn't he your friend?"

"He… He believed the papers. He thinks we're now dating or doing…doing _something._"

"Did you tell him that it wasn't that way?"

"Yes, but he… He didn't want to hear it. He just screamed at me, over and over again, saying wh-what a…a _slut_ I am…"

Seto's jaw dropped at that. "What?!" Without thinking, he grabbed her and pulled her into a tight embrace, wrapping his arms around her and refusing to let go. "He will _not_ get away with calling you that!" He inhaled sharply, and his hands clenched tightly into fists.

"B-But Seto—"

"But nothing. I don't know what the hell is going on, but I will _not_ let him call you anything like that. I can't control the paparazzi, but I can tell him to back the fuck off." He was seething with rage. His whole body shook. _"How dare Yugi, of all people, call her that! Wait 'til I get my hands on that little shrimp."_

She was still crying into his shoulder, although she seemed to have calmed down a bit. Loosening his grasp a little on her but keeping his arms wrapped around her shoulders, he said in a stern voice, "You're not any of those things, Anzu. Whatever the people out there say, you have to just let it go. You and I know the truth… You're not any of those things. You're a talented, caring woman. Don't let them get the best of you. And as for Yugi…" Sighing, he shook his head. "If he is upset that you went to the safest manor in Japan after having your apartment broken into, then he has some issues to sort out. He should be happy you're safe, not caring that you're living with me right now."

Now even her tears were slowing down. Shifting slightly on the floor, he hissed as a shot of pain spread up his leg. Anzu seemed to notice, for she glanced down in shock and shouted, "S-Seto! Y-You shouldn't be—"

Bringing her back into his embrace, he quickly shook his head and said, "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"B-But—"

"Tell me what Yugi said. I want to know so that, the next time I see him, I can tell him exactly how I feel about this situation." He was still angry. The image of Anzu and Yugi constantly being together all those years ago, only for Yugi to say this, did something to Seto. In some sense, he was justified. All those friendship speeches were for nothing. But, now that he cared about one of them…it disgusted him. He would _not_ let someone who preached to him about friendship say something so revolting as to call Anzu a slut.

Anzu slowly leaned her head against his chest, taking a seat in his lap. He ignored the pain, gazing at her distraught face instead, keeping her in a tight embrace. A moment of silence passed between the two before she whispered, "He just said that I was a whore for turning on him for you."

Seto frowned. "Are you…dating him right now?" She swiftly shook her head no. "Then how can he say that?"

"Jealousy," she answered in a surprisingly cold voice. "He's jealous that I am spending time with you. I didn't deny that. While all the magazine articles were bullshit, I had to admit that I was indeed living with you. I told Jounouchi yesterday morning about the apartment situation, and he must have informed Yugi. There was no lying about it."

"Jounouchi is okay with you living here?"

She shrugged. "He knows it's safe here, and while he doesn't necessarily like you, he knows how protective you are of Mokuba. He has Serenity to take care of, so he does actually respect you as a good older brother. As you say, he's happier that I'm safe; it doesn't matter where I am, just as long as I'm okay."

Seto blinked in shock. He hadn't expected that. _"Everything is so upside-down from what it was years ago…"_

"But Yugi… Yugi doesn't see that. He insisted I should have called him and asked to stay with him. The fact that I've been spending time with you over the week has him upset as well."

"I don't remember you mentioning him ever calling…"

"That's because he hasn't."

Seto scoffed. "So then how is your being here any of his business?"

"It's not. But…"

"But what?"

She sighed heavily and buried her face in his chest. "Yugi loves me," she muttered.

"No shit." Any idiot could see that, the way the two were inseparable during the Duel Monsters tournaments and high school classes. It was simply assumed that Anzu returned the sentiment.

"But I told him no," she explained. "I said I didn't want that with him, that I only saw him as a friend. I wanted us to remain friends. And he…he freaked out. He got drunk at graduation and began cursing at me, saying I led him on to think we would one day end up being together. It was…terrible. He felt alone after Yami, and my denial of him didn't help. He became a wreck for a good while. We didn't speak for weeks. It nearly tore our group apart. He hasn't let it go since, and it's always awkward being around him. Over time, we just stopped seeing each other. Jounouchi tried to get him over it, as everyone knew I wasn't feeling that way for Yugi, but nothing worked. He was so angry…he felt I had betrayed him and his trust. That's why I was so unsure about today. I thought the phone call this morning was bizarre, but I was hoping it was a chance to reconnect…as friends. It's been years since then, after all…" Shaking her head, she said, "But I was wrong. He just wanted to throw those magazines in my face and call me a whore. He hasn't moved on and accepted the fact that I will never be with him."

Seto sighed and closed his eyes. He would have some harsh words for Yugi the next time they met, that was for damn sure.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, looking up to see him. "I keep causing all sorts of problems. Now the paparazzi are talking about you, and I—"

Seto swiftly shook his head and looked down at her. "They always talk about me," he interrupted. "I've learned to avoid their talk. But I'll get in contact with whoever is in charge. I don't need them saying things about you. You don't deserve that."

"Seto…"

He moved a few strands of hair from her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "It will be fine. Fuck Yugi. If he's going to be upset like that over something that happened that long ago, he doesn't deserve your friendship. You've moved on and are doing what you want to do. You're in a prestigious dance academy performing, and you know you're fine here until you find someplace else to stay. You don't need him draining you of energy. It seems that everyone else has moved on; if he can't do the same, he doesn't deserve to be around you."

Even though her lips were still quivering, her tears had finally stopped. He sighed in relief when a small smile began to appear on her lips, and she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek tightly against his chest. "Thank you, Seto…" she whispered. "Thank you for everything."

"No need," he replied. "Just make sure I keep away from Yugi, else I'm going to beat the shit out of the little runt."

She chuckled and shook her head. "Just let him go. He's miserable enough knowing we're spending time together."

Seto smirked at that. He felt Anzu release her grip on him, and he did the same. They merely stared at each other, their faces inches apart. She smiled, chuckled, then stood before leaning down and holding a hand out. "Let me help you up… I can't believe you got on the floor for me."

He rolled his eyes. "It's really…not that big of a deal." He flinched, however, when he placed his hand on her shoulder and his other hand in hers. Moving to stand, the pain shot through him, and he gasped as he slowly made his way to a standing position. Inhaling sharply, he waited as Anzu leaned down carefully and grabbed his cane, placing it in his hand before taking a step back. He swallowed the lump in his throat and exhaled, happy to have balance once more.

"What are you doing…the rest of the day?" Anzu inquired.

"Finding out who spread that information and making sure they know who they're dealing with," Seto answered. "Then, probably playing some video games."

She chuckled. "Mind if…I join?" Seto smiled and shook his head no. She smiled in return and quickly walked up to his side. Grabbing onto his arm, she said, "I'll have to help you down the stairs, at any rate. I can't believe you came up here for me! You should know better! It's not good for your leg!"

He chuckled at her sudden concern and shook his head. "Seriously, I'm fine, Anzu."

She sighed and said, "If you say so…" Seto watched as she opened the door before returning to his side. They made their way to the stairwell, and, taking it one at a time, Seto managed to make it down. Irika came running into the foyer and smiled at the sight of the duo.

"I have prepared some tea for you two and Mokuba," she stated. "The platter is in the game room."

"Thank you, Irika." He watched as she bowed and walked away. Hearing Anzu chuckle, he glanced over and asked, "What?"

"I can always count on a video game and a cup of tea in this house to calm me down," she replied. Chuckling, she added, "And some entertaining company."

"You're one to talk, always yelling at the television screen."

She blushed, and he couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. Shaking his head, he said, "Come on. I hate my tea being cold. And I can only imagine what Mokuba thinks we're doing right now…"

"Why? What's he doing?"

Seto's face flushed. He hadn't meant to say that. "Oh, just playing his game."

Anzu stared at him for a brief moment before smiling and nodding. "Then let's go. Some hot tea sounds good to me, too." He wondered if she was simply brushing the comment aside…or if she understood and simply accepted it. Either way, she grabbed onto his arm, and the two made their way back to the game room.

* * *

_So some of you will probably find it weird I'm making Yugi ridiculously aggressive. Here's my reasoning for this particular portrayal. Kaiba and Yugi, while rivals, are only rivals in Duel Monsters. And we've all seen how far Yugi will go to protect his friends. While I think Yugi would have been fine in the show having Kaiba as an ally, I don't think he'd appreciate having Kaiba as a rival for Anzu's love. Added to that, I can't imagine Yugi coping well after Yami leaves him, and given that this takes place several years after the show, it's been several years of him living alone with his grandpa. So I could easily see Yugi wanting to date Anzu in order to fill that void Yami left behind. Hence the harsh criticism he has for Anzu when he learns she is living with Kaiba. Not only is she not filling that void for him, but she's filling the void for another who wasn't even in their circle of friends. Just my take on it! :)_


	25. 25 : A Surprise Truce

Chapter 25 : A Surprise Truce

Their morning gameplay footage began playing on the computer monitor, and Seto watched carefully their replay of the Buddhist Temple mission. One of the longest missions in the game, he and Anzu had played it for nearly three hours before even managing to get to the boss fight, a large, wraith-like ghost that was designed to kill players in one-hit. Finding that such an enemy was crippling, he realized there was no way the boss fight was even remotely fun and had it on his list of things to change. Now he had to watch their three hours to make note of any other changes required. The Buddhist Temple mission was a turning point in the game; therefore, it had to be perfect in order to impact players. Having a nigh-impossible boss at the end, he realized, was less immersive and more frustrating than anything. He hoped it was the only thing he had to correct.

Sighing, he leaned back in his office chair and smiled as he paused the footage, taking a moment to simply relax. It was nice being back at the KaibaCorp office. He now had the software necessary to program his gameplay, which made the task of looking back for glitches much, much easier. His secretary had done a remarkably good job with handling the bullshit of the previous week, and he had decided to reward her by giving her the day off. His employees seemed surprisingly happy to see him again, and a few even congratulated him for being on his crutch rather than the wheelchair (which they were apparently curious to see). Seto was unsure how much information they knew concerning his accident, but it seemed his employees were grateful for his recovery.

A shocking thing, given that he usually expected them all to turn on him.

"_They're probably just happy I'm back so they don't have to deal with the bullshit of answering the phone or figuring out reports like I do,"_ he thought as his phone rang for perhaps the twentieth time that morning. Pressing the flashing button to active the speaker phone, he curtly answered, "Kaiba."

"Mr. Kaiba, this is Yamamoto Senki, head of the magazine _Sun Celebrities_," the man said through the speaker phone. "It is my understanding you gave us a call this morning. Is there any trouble?"

Kaiba smirked; it was one of the calls he had been expecting today. "Mr. Yamamoto, I understand we all have livings to make and what-not. Quite frankly, you know how I feel about you and your kind who prowl on those who have accumulated wealth over time through their own talents. I know there is nothing I can do to stop you from taking photos of me, and I have come to accept this. However, it came to my attention yesterday that some images showing a friend of mine were revealed to the public."

"Ah yes, your female friend," Yamamoto replied, his voice shaking somewhat. He clearly had not anticipated a response from the CEO.

"Yes, her," Kaiba answered, keeping her name out of the conversation. "Now I feel it would be in both of our interests if you simply left her alone. She is not a celebrity, she does not need to be in the spotlight, and I will admit, my patience will run thin should you think it necessary to slander her name anymore."

"Mr. Kaiba, we did not mean to—"

"Whatever excuses you have for running that panel in your magazine are inconsequential, so do not even try to speak your way out of this. You leave her alone, or I will be forced to get a lawyer involved in order to protect her rights of privacy. Is this understood?"

"Y-Yes, Mr. Kaiba…this is understood. If you want, we will run something that puts her in a good light."

"No. You will run nothing about her. You will not speak of her, and you will not take photos of her. Understood?"

"U-Understood, M-Mr. Kaiba."

"Good." Clicking the button, he smirked victoriously before turning in his office chair. It was a cloudy day, with a few rays of sunlight shining down on the city below, some even reflecting off his building. Down below, he could see the cars driving by, the small dots indicating people walking the sidewalks. In the distance, he watched a helicopter flying by.

Yes, it was good to be back in control again.

The phone rang once more. Turning back around in his seat, he swiftly pressed the speaker phone button yet again and said, "Kaiba."

"Hey, Moneybags!"

His eyes widened. Now _there_ was a voice he hadn't heard in years. "Jounouchi…" He nearly hissed the name.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you're so shocked to hear me, you're speechless and can only think of callin' me names," Jounouchi taunted. "It's all good. How have you been?"

"What the hell do you want?" Kaiba retorted.

"And here Anzu says you're becoming a nice guy." Scoffing through the phone, Jounouchi said, "But honestly, I'm not callin' ta argue. I actually wanna ask a favor of ya, surprising as that is."

Seto leaned back in his chair. Jounouchi asking a favor of him? Now he had heard it all. "What is it?"

"Anzu's been tellin' me 'bout how you're keepin' her at your manor. Which is fine with me, just so long as she's safe and you don't hurt her, which, while I don't like you, I can't see ya doin' to her. So it's cool. I actually appreciate it a lot. But I don't know if she told ya or not, but Yugi isn't too keen on the idea. Honda and I spent practically all last night calming him down, but he's still a bit antsy. He wanted to call you last night, yet we managed to keep him restrained from the phone. It wouldn't have been pretty."

"Anzu came back to the manor in tears last night because of him," Seto pointed out. "Be sure to tell him to keep away from her. I do not have the patience for that kind of childish behavior. She is going through enough as it is."

"Well, that's kinda what I wanted to call ya about. Anzu thinks she can still reconnect with him, but there's just no way that's happening. Especially now that she's living with ya. Again, I don't care where she's stayin'. But Yugi is jealous of anyone who spends time with her. Yami leaving him wasn't a very good thing, and Anzu denying him was sorta the icing on the cake. So Yugi's not in a good position, and instead of getting better, he seems ta be getting worse. If Anzu gets any calls from Yugi or any invitations, could ya maybe keep her… I don't know, just keep her away from him? At least for the time being?"

Seto's eyes widened. "You want me to protect her from Yugi?"

"I don't think she needs protection. I mean, Yugi ain't gonna hurt her. On the other hand, Yugi didn't have much nice to say about the situation last night, and I know Anzu is going through a lot right now. Between her apartment and those damn paparazzi—"

"—I'm taking care of that issue," Seto interrupted. "The paparazzi will not be harassing her in the future."

"Glad to hear it. But anywho, she's got a lot of stress goin' on right now, and the last thing she needs is Yugi making her feel like crap. So I just wanted to call and ask ya to keep an eye out for his invites or whatever. Yugi's gotta get out of his rejection phase, and until he does, he ain't doin' any favors for Anzu."

Seto sighed heavily and nodded. "I will make sure he doesn't do anything to hurt her feelings."

"Thanks, man. Appreciate it. And, uh… Just wanna say thanks. For taking care of her. I know we were never close and all that, but I couldn't keep her here, and Yugi, well… You know that story. So it means a lot, you takin' her in and all that. Thanks."

Seto stared in wonder at the phone. "It's… It's nothing," he mumbled.

"Just don't do anything to hurt her," Jounouchi warned. "I don't know what's happening between the two of ya, but she seems to really like ya now. All she does is keep talkin' 'bout how much you're doing for her. You ain't the most sentimental guy around, so don't say anything stupid and go hurtin' her feelings, a'ight?"

Seto scoffed. "The only one hurting her feelings right now is Yugi, and I'll make sure she stays very far away from him."

"Fair enough. Just tellin' ya. I don't care if you two become friends or date or whatever, so long as you treat her well. She's still my friend, after all."

Seto's eyes widened. "Since when did she say we were dating?"

"She didn't. And you didn't. Those papers sure did, but those papers are shit. But… Ah, whatever. Just wanted to call and warn you 'bout Yugi before thankin' ya for taking care of her. Stay safe, and hope your leg gets better."

Hearing the line click, Seto merely sat back in his office chair, letting the information sink in. If he had been told in high school that he would be receiving a thank you call from Jounouchi concerning the protection of Anzu from Yugi, he'd have told the person that he or she needed serious therapy. Yet it just happened. His brain felt like it was spinning. So much had changed… He sighed as his head fell into the palm of his hand. _"Just what is going on in my life? Everything is so upside-down. Yugi is harassing Anzu. Jounouchi's hinting at the fact that she and I are a couple, and Mokuba is more than hinting at it. Just what the hell is—"_

The door to his office flung open, and he jerked upwards only to frown at the sight before him. "You could have asked my secretary to help you with that."

"Nah, I got it," Anzu replied, using her foot to shut the door behind her. In her hands were bowls of ramen as well as a tray of finger sandwiches. She set them on the glass coffee table before walking over to the water machine and getting them two plastic cups. Filling them with water, she then took a seat on one of the sleek, black couches. "Lunchtime!" she chanted, holding up the bowls for him to see. "I didn't know what to get, so I just got something basic. Hope you don't mind." Seto shook his head no. He grabbed his nearby cane and made his way around his desk before taking a seat across from her.

Anzu had insisted on tagging along with Seto to work, and Seto had no excuse as to not bring her along other than the slight awkwardness her presence created in front of his workers. Leaving her alone in the manor sounded cruel even to him, and then there was the matter of beta testing. While Seto answered emails and filled out a few reports, Anzu had been working out downstairs in the gym. By nine o' clock, she had returned, and they were able to beta test the game. After the grueling boss battle, Anzu offered to go out and get lunch, and Seto smirked down at the sheer amount of food she brought back.

"We aren't feeding an entire home," he muttered.

"No, but you need to eat," she remarked. "You said you were planning on being here until seven, and you've been working non-stop since 8:00 this morning. You need food."

"And you sound like Mokuba," he retorted, grabbing a bowl of warm ramen and a pair of chopsticks. Leaning back in his seat, he held the bowl with his right hand, which was still wrapped in the short arm cast. He was getting surprisingly good with using chopsticks with his left hand, though he now had two weeks of practice under his belt.

"That's just because we both worry about your lifestyle," she answered, taking her own bowl in her hands.

He shrugged. "It is what it is." Taking a bite of his noodles, he swallowed before saying, "The people at _Sun Celebrities_ called. They won't be taking anymore photos of you."

Anzu sighed in relief. "Well that's some good news. Thank you for doing that."

He nodded before taking another bite. _"Should I tell her about Jounouchi calling? Probably not. If he wanted her to know, he would have called her and told her."_ Glancing over at her, he thought to himself, _"What has she been telling him that makes him believe we're dating? Is she really singing me praises to Jounouchi?"_ He mentally scoffed. _"Whatever. It doesn't matter. We're just…friends. That's it. That's all we are. I'm protecting her from Yugi and providing a home for her because we're friends. At this point, I'm willing to admit that, at least. I do care about her…and I hate seeing her cry."_

The memory of her crying flashed through his mind. He briefly wondered if Jounouchi had ever held Anzu as she cried, and the thought caused his mouth to go dry. He couldn't imagine it… Did that mean that friends didn't normally do that? Or was he just so out of the loop in concerns to what friends do that it was hard to imagine that for anyone? "Are your noodles all right?" Anzu suddenly asked, and he blinked in surprise and looked up to see her staring worriedly at him.

"Y-Yeah, they're fine. I'm just…just tired. Thinking about the changes I need to make to the game." He took another bite. She smiled and returned to her own bowl. _"Tired…and beyond confused."_


	26. 26 : The Reformed Scientist

Chapter 26 : The Reformed Scientist

Anzu watched as Irika picked up a metal spoon and stirred the soup before moving on to stirring the rice. The smells of the food rose in the air with the steam, filling the kitchen with a fragrance that made Anzu's mouth water. "You really didn't have to make all this for me…" she noted, glancing across the room at the two pots on the stove.

"It is quite all right," Irika noted, throwing the slightest pinch of salt into the soup. "I plan on serving what is left to Mr. Kaiba later tonight."

Anzu smiled. "Just make sure he eats. I'm noticing a habit where he doesn't do that as often as he should."

Irika chuckled. "Yes, his schedule keeps him quite busy."

Anzu smirked as she took her seat at the bar island in the center of the room. Barstools lined this side of island, while the other side served as counter space for Irika to chop up vegetables and all sorts of other things. Various bowls of fruits, a small flower vase, and several series of utensils were neatly arranged, creating a picturesque kitchen. Across from her was standing Irika, who had her back turned to Anzu and in order to face the stove. Anzu gazed at her appearance; she was still dressed in that stuffy maid outfit. She wondered if Irika ever changed out of it.

Anzu had come home to the manor early in order to prepare for her classes that evening. Seto insisted she get a decent meal before heading out, so he had phoned ahead and told Irika to prepare something for her. "I'll have to thank him as well, I suppose," she muttered under her breath.

"Mr. Kaiba?" Irika inquired.

Anzu blushed. "Yeah… I mean, I was just expecting to get take out or something for dinner."

Irika shook her head. "No need to waste your money, Miss Mazaki. You are quite all right here."

Anzu smiled. "Thanks. And please. Just call me Anzu."

"O-Oh, um… Okay, Miss Anzu."

Anzu chuckled. _"Well, it's a step."_ She watched in curiosity as Irika opened a nearby cupboard and, taking out four bowls, lined them up before pouring two bowls of soup and two bowls of rice. _"Guess she's eating her dinner, too." _Walking around the island, she set one series of bowls in front of Anzu before bowing and turning to leave. Anzu frowned. "You should sit with me," she said.

Irika froze before slowly turning to look at her. "O-Oh, I could not impose," Irika muttered, her eyes darting to the floor.

"You aren't imposing on me," Anzu insisted. "Besides, unlike Seto, I like having company." Just to emphasize her point, she pat the barstool next to her.

The slightest trace of a smile appeared on Irika's lips, and she slowly took her seat next to Anzu. Grabbing their chopsticks and spoons, the two immediately began to eat, and Anzu's eyes widened in shock as she devoured one of the small dumplings in her soup. "Oh my goodness, this is some of the best soup I ever had!" she exclaimed. "You must have gone to school for cooking or something. Your food is always so perfectly prepared and tastes so good!"

Anzu glanced over to see Irika's face turn beet red. "Th-Thanks…" she whispered before taking a long sip of her soup.

"Did you ever go to culinary school?" Anzu inquired.

"No…"

"Well, your cooking is fantastic."

"I… I could teach you sometime, if you are interested."

Anzu smiled widely at the thought as she took another sip of her soup. It was strange how bothered Anzu had been by Irika when they first met, her monotone voice sending chills up her spine. Now the two were enjoying each other's company. She nodded at the thought of taking cooking lessons from her. "That would be great! I admit, I'm not the best of cooks…" Irika chuckled lightly before taking a large bite of rice. Anzu laughed and added, "Though once I get my new apartment, I'll have to make time for lessons. Hopefully things will-"

"You are not staying here?"

Anzu blinked in surprise and returned her attention to Irika. Irika's small smile had vanished entirely. "I… No, I'm starting to look for an apartment," Anzu replied, taken aback by the hurt in Irika's tone.

"Do you not like Mr. Kaiba's company?"

Anzu's face flushed. "O-Of course I enjoy spending time with him! But I… I don't think he wants me living here with him. I mean, this was only supposed to be temporary."

"Oh, he does not mind you at all," Irika insisted. "If he wanted you gone, he would have told you to leave the second he got his cane. He wants you to stay. I know it. He will never say it, but he loves having you here. You bring something, a charm, to this manor. Please reconsider leaving us. It would devastate Mr. Kaiba."

Anzu merely stared in wonder. Irika had returned to her bowl of soup, her face flushed with embarrassment at the declaration. "He…doesn't want me to leave?" she asked. Irika shook her head no defiantly. "Then why doesn't he say something?"

"It is not Mr. Kaiba's way," Irika answered. "He was taught to keep his emotions to himself. He may be slowly shedding the years of hardship under Gozaburo Kaiba, but some forms of training will never die." She returned to looking at Anzu, her eyes wide and imploring. "But please, do not leave us. Mr. Kaiba… I do not know if it is love, but he cares for you. He does not want to see you go. I know him. I have known him since he was a teenager, when Gozaburo first adopted him. You…you have brought something out of him. You are good for him…" Her face reddened slightly, and she went back to looking at her bowl. "Unless, of course, you do not feel the same way for Mr. Kaiba… Then, please, ignore my comments."

Anzu's lips parted, but all that came out was "I…" _"I do care about him. But… I mean…"_ There was still so much she felt she didn't know about him. She remembered when she had been afraid of his learning about the paparazzi's lies. She thought he was going to be so angry with her; she nearly expected to lose her ability to stay here. Instead, he had comforted her. He had promised her safety. He offered her protection. The memory of the sensation of his arms around her sent a shiver down her spine. _"I really care about him… I like the sensation of his arms around me. I like his protective embrace. I like hearing his heart, the heart I never knew he had, beat inside his chest. But… I…"_

"I am sorry," Irika suddenly said. "I should not be prying into your emotions. Please forgive me."

"N-No, you are fine!" Anzu answered hastily. "I just… It's funny. Years ago, Seto and I never got along. We were always at odds. Now… I mean, I do…c-care for him. A lot."

"As he does for you."

She slowly looked down at her bowl, then back up at Irika. "Do you…really think I should stay?"

Irika nodded. "You are a wonderful woman, Miss Anzu. If you feel anything for Mr. Kaiba… Just know he would never kick you out of this manor. He cares for you too much to do such a thing."

The two silently returned to their meals. Anzu's mind was racing; she was barely registering the delicious food she was forcing into her mouth. _"This woman basically just said that Seto Kaiba…likes me…as more than a friend. But does he? She knows him better than I do…but still…could she be wrong? And should I stay? I feel like I am such a burden sometimes…"_

"Irika… You said that you knew Seto since he was a teenager…" When Anzu didn't continue, Irika glanced up from her bowl of rice and nodded.

"Yes, that is correct."

"What was he like, as a teenager?"

Irika smiled warmly, to Anzu's utter surprise. "Creative. He was always full of ideas. I admit, I first did not like him, as he was about to put me out of business. But fortunately for me, I realized the error of my ways before he changed the company from what it was under Gozaburo to how it is now." Chuckling, she said, "He was determined, against all odds, to reform KaibaCorp, and we all laughed at him at the time. No one thought he could dominate Gozaburo Kaiba. But he did…and our groups were broken up. We all scattered. I was fortunate. Mr. Kaiba gave me a second chance."

"What did you do under Gozaburo?"

"I…" Sighing heavily, she answered, "I was a scientist."

Anzu's eyes widened. "YOU were a scientist?!"

Irika nodded. "Some called me a child prodigy. I am not much older than Mr. Kaiba, you see, and always was a genius with mathematics. I was working with heavy military weaponry at a young age, about the age of 15. I suppose Mr. Kaiba and I bonded a bit in that regard. We were both young and intelligent. But I was a child. I thought of those weapons we built as toys, experiments in which I could test my knowledge. I knew they were harming someone somewhere, but it didn't matter to me. I was too busy being treated as a scientist and basking in the glory of youth to worry about morality."

Anzu's jaw dropped. Irika's voice had turned harsh during her narrative, her eyes now slits as she continued sipping at her soup.

"It was a year before Mr. Kaiba took over KaibaCorp that I was brought to an area bombed by one of my latest creations. I was to see the damage firsthand in order to see the…"fruits" of my labor." She swallowed a large spoonful of soup before continuing. "What I saw was not of this world. Buildings burned to the ground. Animals scavenging the remains looking for scraps of food to survive. Children running naked, crying out for their parents. That was not what I wanted to contribute to this world…"

Anzu noticed her shoulders shaking. Placing a soft hand on her shoulder, she watched as Irika looked over at her with an embarrassed expression. "I thought that I had to repent in some way, and suicide seemed the only logical response. I reflected on all my work and realized it brought nothing but suffering. I did not think I deserved to live. I returned home, grabbed a knife, and went to my room with the intent of ending it once and for all. But Mr. Kaiba stopped me right before I did it. He took the knife away and told me I could use my life for something useful, something that wasn't destructive. It was then that he told me his plans of taking over KaibaCorp. He was going to get rid of all the servants Gozaburo kept around once he had taken over, and he wanted me to stay. He knew he could trust me, and he needed people he could trust at that time more than ever. He…gave me a new purpose in life. He showed me I could rebuild, that perhaps I could find repentance in this world for the terrible things I created as a child."

A slight tear rolled down her face, and she swiftly reached up to wipe it away. "I-I-I'm sorry. I should not be—"

"You're human," Anzu interrupted, her voice soft and comforting. "It's perfectly all right to show emotion. And… I appreciate you telling me this."

Irika smiled lightly. "It feels nice having someone listen…" Another tear fell, yet she did not move to hide it. Sighing heavily, she sipped another spoonful of soup before standing from her seat. "I must put this away so that I can prepare it for Mr. Kaiba and Mokuba. Excuse me."

Anzu watched as she walked around the island, turning her back to Anzu in the process, and began searching for something to package the soup and rice in. Anzu began picking at her bowl of rice, which was beginning to get cold from having sat for so long. Silence filled the room, a heavy silence. Neither one knew what to say, but Anzu felt she had to say something. _"Just let her go,"_ she finally told herself. _"I can't imagine what she's thinking right now… And who knows what I'm thinking right now. A reformed scientist now working as a chef and gardener? And Seto…saved her life…and now likes me? What am I going to do?"_

Anzu was beginning to see a pattern. _"He took in Yuki, an abandoned cat. He gave Irika a second chance when she was ready to end it all. And he…he gave me a home when mine was broken into."_ Lifting her spoon to her lips, she smiled and thought, _"Perhaps it's time to figure out how Seto really feels about me..."_


	27. 27 : Realization

Chapter 27 : Realization

Seto sighed as the hot water hit against his back. He felt exhausted; he had grown soft during his absence from work. Staring at the computer all day, listening to phone ringing, having to check his email every five minutes, all that on top of planning for the conference this weekend where he and Mokuba were to showcase some of their game, _on top_ of beta testing the game…it had shocked his system back to reality. He already felt like he needed a day to recover, and it was only Monday night.

Pressing the button on his iPod, he listened as the ambient, electronic music came to life, humming over the sound of the shower. He smiled and closed his eyes, leaning against the wall of the shower as the hot water continued to sooth his nerves. He never underestimated the power of a hot shower. So many nights when Gozaburo reigned over him, he had managed to cleanse his wounds and hide from the bastard by taking excessively-long showers. Even now, he sometimes just stood in the shower for what felt like an eternity, just letting his thoughts roam, his body sink.

He remained like this a good fifteen minutes, listening to his soft, electronic music, before finally deciding it best to get out. He swiftly shampooed his hair, washed out the remaining substance, then turned the hot water off. A wave of coldness spread throughout his body, and he swiftly grabbed a towel and began wiping the water droplets from his skin.

Stepping out of the shower, he smiled as he closed his eyes and leaned against the counter. His leg still hurt…but it was improving. He could move around the bathroom without the cane. He was rebuilding strength. _"Perhaps I will even be able to walk on my own at the conference this weekend,"_ he thought. _"Wouldn't that be nice?"_

Opening his eyes, he quickly dried himself off and pulled on his boxers and black, silk pajama pants. He then slipped on a pair of socks before turning and grabbing his shirt, which had been placed on the counter. Holding it up, he went to put it on when he saw his reflection in the mirror. He sighed heavily, his eyes automatically going to the scar tissue. There were four scars visible, two small and hardly noticeable, one that looked like a slit along his shoulder, and one that wrapped around his torso, trailing around to his back. His hand reached up and pressed against the one on his shoulder.

A small remark. He had dismissed a client of Gozaburo's during a party in order to talk a business partner, and the client took it as an affront. Seto was dismissed from the party. Gozaburo came back drunk and with a knife. He clumsily went to slash Seto and only caught his shoulder. Seto ran away screaming, bleeding and crying in pain.

A scar for a simple frown.

Shivering, he placed the shirt over his head and pulled it down, covering his body. _"No matter how many years pass, the memories are still there, still vivid…"_ He placed his head in his hand and sighed heavily. _"But…I'm changing, right? I'm…getting better…right?"_ It was a question he asked himself more and more with each passing year. He didn't want to be this way forever. Who would?

He shook his head and looked back at his reflection. He was stronger than that. Better than that. Sure, he would have moments like these from time to time, but there was nothing that would stop the flow of memories. He could only control his reaction to them… Grabbing the nearby comb, he brushed out his wet hair, dried away the excess water with the towel, grabbed the cane leaning against the counter, and stepped out into the hallway. He slowly made his way over to the game room, finding it completely empty. He smiled and turned the lights on before approaching the Gamecube. _"Damn you, Mazaki."_

He should have been working, but the urge to play one of his favorite games of all time mixed with the exhaustion he still felt from having worked all day combined to make his care factor towards work relatively low, if indeed nonexistent. Snatching the controller, he turned the television and gaming system on before making his way over to the couch. He plopped down and sighed heavily, smiling when the main menu of the game appeared.

Choosing his new character, he immediately began scanning his statistics, checking his MAG, and deciding what missions to do. It had been years since he played a campaign in this game. _"I suppose I need to level up a bit, however, before doing any of the major quests. They either baby you or kill you. Perhaps I should do the item collection missions. If I remember correctly, which I honestly might not be, those are—"_

"Seto?"

He blinked in surprise. Standing in the archway was Anzu, dressed in a purple leotard with a sleek, black skirt and carrying her dance bag. Her figure was perfectly outlined by the tight attire, and he noted for perhaps the first time her toned figure. Clearing his throat, he merely said, "Anzu."

"What are you doing up?" she asked as she dropped her bag at the archway and walked over to the sofa. "It's so late… Aren't you tired?"

"A little," he conceded. He watched as she approached the sofa he was sitting on and smirked. "Though I guess I should be asking you the same. You look exhausted."

"Yeah… We did two runs of our show before we left. To build up stamina, and all that." Rolling her eyes, she shrugged and said, "But what can you do?"

He nodded in agreement. Turning his attention back to the television, he went to continue playing when, to his surprise, Anzu sat down next to him. As in _right_ next to him. He watched in shock as she lied down, resting her head on his good leg, her long legs extending down the length of the sofa. _"Wh…what?"_

"You know, we have pillows," he remarked, his voice softer due to his surprise at the situation.

"I know," she answered. Smiling up at him, she said, "But I don't wanna get up to get one."

He scoffed. "You can't be _that_ tired."

"Go back to playing. I want to watch you play for a bit."

He blinked in surprise at the command and watched as she turned her head to the television screen. _"What is she doing?! And why…why am I letting her get away with it?!"_ If it was _anyone_ else, he would have thrown them across the room. But looking down at her, seeing her staring curiously at the television screen, her brown hair falling down to brush against his silk pajama pants…

He picked up the controller and began playing.

"What kind of character are you making?" she asked.

"I am playing a new Force character," he answered, doing his best to maintain a semblance of composure. This was not normal behavior, but then why was he tolerating it?

"Isn't that the same type you played as with Mokuba?"

"Yes."

"Then why don't you try a different class?"

"Because Forces are the most challenging of the classes. They have extremely low attack and defense points, and until you reach a certain level, you have extremely limited TP. Therefore, you have to strategize how to best maintain and level your character. Hunters are far too easy, and if I play single-player, I will never be able to beat the dragon on my own until I manage to get a hold of a gun. Rangers are a little more challenging, but I would have my Ranger learning Force abilities." Shrugging, he concluded, "So, might as well make another Force character."

"You always need a challenge…"

"It keeps me interested."

"But you're not doing anything new, so how is it a challenge?"

"Who said I wasn't doing anything new? I am trying out a new combination."

"How? You have the same—"

"No two Force characters are the same. My previous Force was made entirely for support. Mokuba was the one doing all the damage. Now that I am soloing, I need to learn abilities for power purposes. On top of that, I am leveling my Mag differently. I had a lot of Dexterity since, as a support, I couldn't die, so I had to dodge a lot of attacks. Now that I am on my own, I need high Magic skills in order to do a lot of damage."

Anzu chuckled. "This all sounds so complicated…"

"It's really not, in practice. It sounds like a lot on paper, but when you're playing the game, you just naturally do one thing at a time."

"So I'm learning…"

He chanced a peek down at her. She did look tired, but she was also intently watching him play. Her wide, blue eyes followed his character. She looked relaxed. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she pulled her knees closer to her chest, curling up slightly. _"This is not what friends do."_ The thought sent a shiver down his spine. No, he may have been out of the loop in terms of friendship, but he wasn't stupid enough to believe that friends cuddled next to each other. Because that's what this was. Cuddling. _"And I'm just sitting here, letting it happen. I'm not doing anything to push her away."_ In fact, when she moved as if to get up, his heart skipped a beat, and he found he was happy when she laid her head back down. She had simply wanted to readjust her skirt.

He tore his attention from her and mentally sighed. _"Just play the damn game. Don't focus on her. I don't know what she's thinking…perhaps she isn't. She's tired, too, after all."_

He wanted to buy that. He _really_ wanted to buy that. But he couldn't. Anzu wasn't dumb, at least when it came to understanding social situations. _"Sure, she left her money in her dresser drawer rather than a bank, but at the same time… She knows what friendship is. She defined friendship for me all throughout high school. This is not something friends do. I never saw her cuddle with one of the guys. Now here she is, snuggling against my leg… Does she…like me?"_

He tried to continue playing the game. He even started a mission to get his mind off of what was taking place. But his mind was running in circles, trying to make sense of the simple gesture. After finishing the short quest, he cleared his throat and set his controller down on the armrest. "Anzu, I'm going to bed," he said. He had no idea what to think anymore, and he felt exhausted. He glanced down, expecting to see her move, only to find that she was in the same exact position.

She had fallen asleep on him. Again.

He leaned forward and sighed. "Really…?" he muttered. Turning her over, he saw her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling with each breath. She had a smile on her face. As he rolled her over, some hair fell in front of her face, and before he could catch himself, he brushed them away and behind her ear. The warmth of her face under his fingertips shocked him, and he found his fingertips resting against her cheek.

"_This is not what friends do."_

Wrapping his arm underneath her, he brought her up to his chest and leaned back into the sofa, his hand still resting on her cheek. He examined her face, watching as her lips parted slightly. Before he knew it, he found himself moving another few strands of hair back. _"What am I doing… What are we, Anzu? What is this? Why are you being so nice to me? Why am I being so nice to you? Why cuddle against me? What are we? If we aren't friends, then…then what…?"_

His heart and mind were racing. He had to go to sleep. He couldn't keep thinking about this. Moving around her, he laid her down and grabbed his nearby cane in order to stand. Crossing the length of the room, he grabbed a spare pillow and blanket, tucked them under his arm, and returned to her position. He then set the cane back down so he could spread the blanket over her. He even gently lifted her head so he could prop the pillow underneath. She rolled back towards him at the sensation but didn't wake up. Still, her smile made his heart skip a beat.

"_I like her…"_ He swallowed heavily as the truth, what he knew was the truth, entered his mind. _"I like her as more than just a friend."_ And then his mind went blank. He didn't know what to think. He couldn't think. He never expected to feel this, ever. His brain did not know what to do, and so it simply went blank. He mechanically grabbed his cane, walked over to the opposite couch, and lied down. It briefly occurred to him that they were sleeping in the game room rather than the spare living room, but it was no more than a blip in his mind. He laid down, pulling the blanket that was spread against the back of the sofa down and wrapping it around him. He swiped a nearby pillow and laid his pounding head down on the softness. Staring at the back of the sofa a good, long minute, he finally sighed and closed his eyes.

Surprisingly, sleep came.


	28. 28 : Nightmare

Chapter 28 : Nightmare

_He was running. Running…but limping. The whack to his knee had stopped him for a brief minute. Every nerve in his body ached. But he had to get away._

"_Get back here, you little shit!"_

_Something fell over. A vase, perhaps. Or a picture. Whatever. It was of no concern. He had to get away. _

"_Get back here!"_

_Turning a corner, he sped as fast as he could down the narrow corridor. A double set of doors leading into the library were on his right. He thought about going in, about hiding between the bookshelves, but no. It wasn't enough. He—_

"_AH!"_

_Inhaling sharply, he fell forward onto the floor from the impact. Pieces of broken glass covered the surrounding area, and he felt several shards stinging his back. A vase. He had thrown a vase at him. "You won't embarrass me like that again, ever!" Gozaburo shouted. _

_He had to get away. He had to._

_Pushing himself up with shaky arms, he lunged into the nearest doorway. A bathroom. It had a locked door. That's all he cared about. Diving into the room, he slammed the door shut and locked it. The pounding soon followed. Seto kept his body pressed against the door, as if to assist the lock in keeping Gozaburo out. The old bastard was pounding his fists in anger against the wood. Seto wondered if the door would be able to hold him back. _

"_You better open up!" Gozaburo shouted. "Open up now!"_

_Seto carefully reached around his neck and wiped away some shards of glass. He could feel blood seeping out of his skin and into his shirt. He whimpered when he saw drops of blood on his fingers. No, he wouldn't open up. _

"_Open up now! Or do you want me to find Mokuba?!"_

_Mokuba! "NO!" Without even thinking, he opened the door and rushed out, only to be greeted with a smack to the face. _

_He fell to the floor, his cheek stinging with pain. He felt himself be lifted, and before he knew it, he was staring into the eyes of Gozaburo Kaiba. Eyes that blazed with drunken fury, accompanied with breath that reeked of alcohol. "You little shit!" He was slammed into the wall with surprising force—_

-and inhaled sharply as he bolted upright.

Sweat covered Seto's body as he began panting heavily. His heart beat in his throat, and his head was pounding. His world was spinning, and he grabbed onto the back of the sofa for support, placing his head in the palm of his free hand. His body was shaking as the sensation of his dream filled him with a sense of dread. _"He's dead…he can't hurt me anymore. He's dead…"_ He repeated the phrase over and over in his head, letting his hands fall down to his lap. Inhaling a large breath of air, he muttered, "He's dead… He's dead…" He knew from experience it was the only way to calm himself down. "Just remember, he's dead… He's not coming back…"

Huffing out a breath of air, he reached out and grabbed the nearby cane. He swung his legs around, hoping to go to the bathroom to wash the sweat from his face, but he still lacked the strength to do so. His hands shook as he stood. The cane went out from under him. He cried out as he fell to the ground, landing on his hands and knees. A minor shot of pain went up his leg, but it felt like nothing in comparison to the rest of his body. He briefly realized he just barely missed the edge of the coffee table, and placing his hand on the smooth glass, he groaned as he went to push himself up.

"Seto?"

His eyes shot open, and his head spun to look over at the other sofa. Sitting there was Anzu. She was holding the blanket up to her chest, staring at him with wide eyes. The moonlight shining through the windows illuminated much of the room, and he could see the fear in her expression. He sighed heavily and swallowed the lump in his throat. Grabbing the cane, he carefully pushed himself up before falling back on the sofa. There was no way he was going to make it, not with his hands shaking as they were. He glanced over at Anzu to see her still staring at him. "Sorry if I woke you…" he said, turning to avoid her gaze.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He tossed the cane aside in anger and went to lie back down.

"Do you need me to get you something?"

"No." He pulled the blanket back over him.

"What's the matter?"

"It was nothing," he answered, his hoarse voice doing little to convince. "Go back to sleep."

"But…Seto…"

He rolled over. He couldn't look at her right now. Shame replaced fear. He should have known better than to fall asleep in the same room as her. He listened as she moved around the sofa and sighed once more. His body was still shivering, but at least he was in control of his breathing. _"He's dead."_

"Seto."

Her voice was close and surprisingly stern. He slowly turned his head and nearly jumped at the sight of her. She was practically over him, hovering above him. He merely stared up at her, her faces inches from his. Her eyes were full of concern. "Are you_ sure_ you're okay?"

His heart threatened to burst from his chest. He swiftly rolled back over. "I'm fine…" He felt her sit down next to him on the sofa. She placed a hand on his shoulder, the one with the scar, and he flinched from her. "Don't…please…" He wiped the sweat from his face and closed his eyes, shivering when her hand went down from his shoulder to his back. It began moving in circles, and he realized she was rubbing his back like a child. "What are you doing?" he whispered.

"Trying to help you calm down." The softness in her voice equaled his.

"Why?"

"Because you look scared. And I've never seen you like this…and I don't like it."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"Yes I am."

"_No_, you're not."

"How do you know?"

"Because you still look scared. And you're so tense. Like here…" She pushed against his back, and he grunted as she hit a tight knot. "You're not going to sleep well like this."

"I'll be okay."

"You'll be better if I keep rubbing your back." Their talk was going nowhere. He sighed in defeat, feeling her fingers deftly move around his back. After a few minutes, she began pushing slightly, working out the knots. He had to bite his lower lip to suppress a moan when she hit a particularly bad area along his spine. His stomach did turns as she pressed against what he knew to be scar tissue, but she continued moving, not sensing it. "Roll over on your stomach," she instructed. "I can rub your whole back then."

He did so, having no energy to fight back. It _did _feel good… But more importantly, she was keeping him distracted. He kept his eyes open, staring at the back of the sofa, the images of his dream flashing before his mental eye. But her hands against his back kept him grounded in reality. He focused on her hands, his eyelids becoming heavy as she began working the tension out of his system. "Anzu…"

She stopped. "Hmmm?"

"Why are you doing this?"

She chuckled. "You already asked that question."

"No, I mean…" He growled in frustration and rolled over. His eyes widened, however, when he saw how close they were. He swiftly inched back into the sofa. "Why do you care? Why are you being nice to me?"

She frowned at his question. "Why? Because I'm worried about you. You were kicking around in your sleep, and at one time you even shouted. I was afraid to wake you up since I didn't know what you were seeing, but… I thought it best to wait until you were actually awake to say something."

His mouth went dry. It had been so long since he had a nightmare like that…and to do it in front of Anzu…

"Plus, I just want to help."

He blinked in surprise. "Why?"

She chuckled. "Why do you keep asking that question?"

"Because, I…" He shook his head. His mind was still trying to deal with his dream, and to have Anzu sitting next to him... It was too much for him to handle. He didn't know what to think.

"Seto, look at me." He did. She inched her way forward, getting rid of the space he had created between the two. She then smiled, lifted her arms, and wrapped them around him, leaning over him and placing her head on his chest. "You have helped me so many times," she whispered. "You took me into your manor, and you cheered me up when Yugi put me down. Let me return the favor. You can't hide the fact that you're hurting right now. You're not fooling me. So just let me help you, okay?"

He inhaled a large breath of air. Slowly, almost mechanically, he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her close to him. His heart was beating loudly in his chest; it was a wonder it was still intact. He could feel Anzu breathing in-sync with him. Her warmth against him, just her presence, was somehow enough to calm his nerves. He stopped shaking almost immediately. Somehow, without words, she was comforting him. He tightened his grip around her. He didn't want to let her go. His tired mind somehow knew she was good for him. She brought her legs up in order to lie down next to him, keeping her head on his chest. He moved over to give her some space.

"What did you dream about?"

"Gozaburo." They were still whispering.

"I'm sorry…"

He shook his head. "Not your fault."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He bit his lower lip. "Not really. It was just a…just one of the bad nights with him."

She nodded in understanding. They lay in silence, and he placed his hand that was in the cast against her shoulder. "I'm sorry I woke you up… I usually don't have these nightmares."

"It's okay."

"If I would have know, I'd—"

"How could you have known?" she interrupted. "Don't worry about it, Seto."

"I don't usually have these, not anymore," he continued rambling. He was staring at the ceiling but not really seeing it. "I used to have them all the time. I never slept well. Too many memories…"

"But you're okay. It's just a dream. It's all over."

He nodded. "Yeah…" _"He's dead…"_

"And you're stronger and better now. You're Seto Kaiba. You're a great person."

He scoffed. "I wish."

"I know." He looked down at her. She looked up at him and smiled. "I know you are," she repeated. Even in the moonlight, the compassion in her gaze radiated. She either sincerely cared about his well-being, or his exhaustion made him see it that way. Lowering her head once more, she snuggled into his side. He leaned as far back into the sofa as he could, creating more space for her. She chuckled and cuddled ever close to him. He pulled the blanket out from underneath her before bringing it on top of them both, too tired and confused to know that what he was doing was taking civility to a whole new level. Wrapping his arms around her once more, he placed his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes. She squirmed slightly underneath him. "I can't tell which is more comfortable," she whispered. "You, or the couch."

He chuckled. "Good thing you have both, I suppose. Though if I have another dream, you might be rethinking that statement."

"You won't," she replied.

He frowned. "How do you know?"

"Because you're going to fall asleep tonight thinking about beta testing the game tomorrow." She chuckled and added, "And how you're so cruel in making the game so damn difficult!"

He smirked and shook his head. "I'm sorry Mokuba and I forgot to make an "Easy Enough For a Baby" mode."

"At least in that mode, they tell you to search for loot in trash cans."

He suppressed the laugh but couldn't suppress the smile. Listening to her breathing, he thought, _"This may not be what friends do…but if it's what we do…"_ He opened his eyes and glanced down at her. _"…Then it's what we do."_ In the back of his mind, he could hear Gozaburo screaming his name, but he brushed it aside and leaned back into the pillow. His smile remained, and he closed his eyes once more. _"Anzu…"_ Tightening his grip around her, he felt himself sink into the realm of sleep once more.

She had been right. He didn't have the nightmare again.

* * *

_Alright, alright. I know this is probably the most cliché this story has gotten thus far. But it's important that Anzu learns at some point Seto's got some issues he's still working out, and I hope this is an isolated cliché rather than a continuation. Most romances, particularly with this couple, use the same exact devices, and I'm doing my best to bring you guys something new and original. So I apologize for this one clichéd moment._


	29. 29 : A Brother's Advice

_Thank you guys so much for all the feedback concerning the previous chapter, as well as all the comments and views in general thus far. I'm really happy with the way this story is turning out, and I'm so glad that you all are enjoying this! Thank you all so much for the support! You guys are the best!_

* * *

Chapter 29 : A Brother's Advice

Stepping out of the meeting room with the support of his cane, Seto released a heavy sigh and entered the nearby elevator. Pressing the button for the top floor (and using the specific code necessary to access it), he watched the doors close and leaned against the wall of the compartment. Straightening his white tie out, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked up to see his reflection.

It had been three days since the night he had the nightmare. That morning had been awkward, to say the least. He fully remembered waking up from his nightmare and having Anzu cuddle next to him, but to be faced with it in the morning was an entirely different matter. The mixture of emotions nearly made him nauseous, but at the same time, the warmth and comfort of her lying next to him made him want to sleep in. But then, something strange happened. He figured it would be a one-time occurrence, that she had just accidentally fallen asleep downstairs and would return to her bed upstairs the following night. She didn't. She cuddled against him as they played _Phantasy Star Online _together the next evening, and when he went to bed, she took her position next to him on the sofa. And he welcomed it. He said nothing against it. In fact, he had wrapped his arms around her, refusing to let her go.

A part of him told him he was insane. Another reminded him of the warmth he felt whenever she was close by. Combined, the two emotions made him feel lost and confused, as if he was moving in a trance. _"I was raised to treat everyone as an enemy,"_ he thought, watching the numbers on the elevator pad light up as he went up floor by floor. _"I came to believe everyone was my enemy. So what happens now that I don't want someone to be my enemy? What happens now that I want someone in my life?"_

It never occurred to him that this sort of thing would happen. He had accepted at an early stage in life that he would simply never be with someone. Between being a father to his younger brother and running the company, he never believed he would have the time to be a loving partner. It didn't help that most of the women he came in contact with were only interested in his money or his "sexy" figure. But now…now he wanted something. Someone. It didn't matter that she was Yugi's former cheerleader. She had held onto him when he needed support, even when he pushed her away. She had the attitude to deal with him, and she…she could make him smile. She could calm him down. She could do what not even Mokuba could do: make the nightmares go away.

The elevator came to a halt. He grabbed his briefcase and quickly exited the compartment. Walking down the hallway, he nodded towards his secretary, who smiled up at him. "Mokuba is here to see you," she remarked.

He glanced over at the clock on the wall. Sure enough, school had let out nearly a half hour ago. "Thanks," he muttered. Walking down the rest of the hallway, he opened the door leading into his office and smiled lightly at the sight of his younger brother sitting on the sofa. The plasma television built into the wall was turned on, showing the news. He shut the door behind him. Mokuba turned and waved at him.

"Hey, Big Bro."

"Hello." Walking to his desk, he set his briefcase down and fell back into his chair, setting the cane to his right against the glass windows.

"How is work going?"

"Slow," he answered. "Two meetings and five reports this morning. Just got out of another meeting, and now I have yet another report to do."

"Sounds like fun…"

Seto shook his head no and turned in his chair in order to face his brother, who was now lying on the couch flipping through the t.v. channels. "How was school?"

"Boring. The usual."

He scoffed. "Is there ever a day at school where you're actually interested?"

"Not my fault most of the stuff they teach is boring. That, or I already know it."

Seto rolled his eyes. Leaning forward, he opened his briefcase and took out two stacks of papers. Seeing the flyer for the conference being held that weekend, he asked, "Are you still tagging along with me to the showcasing this Saturday?"

"Of course!" Mokuba exclaimed, bolting up to face his brother. "I'm so excited about this! God, it's why this week has been going so slooooow. I just want Saturday to come already! We're finally going to get to show off our hard work! You think people will like it?"

Seto smirked. "Let's hope."

"I really hope so. It'd be so awesome if our first game managed to be a huge success."

"I'm just worried that the system will crash and make us look like morons." Even Seto had to admit that technology didn't always work in one's favor, and technology at previews like these could go haywire at any second.

"Nah, between you, me, and Anzu, it's definitely going to run smoothly." Seto smirked. "Speaking of…"

Seto blushed slightly. "What?" He asked "what," but he knew what his brother was going to ask. His brother's cheesy grin said it all. He had tried waking up earlier than Mokuba in order to hide the fact that Anzu and he were sleeping together, but he heard his brother's footsteps this morning and knew he was caught. _"He saw Anzu and me this morning. There's no doubt about it."_

"I don't know if you're aware of this, Seto, but friends don't normally sleep together in the same bed. Or the same sofa, for that matter."

Seto sighed and shook his head. "Not right now, Mokuba…"

There was a brief pause before the television clicked off. "What's wrong, Seto?" He was surprised by the concern in Mokuba's voice, and he quickly looked up to see his brother frowning at him. "Aren't you happy with Anzu?"

"I…" Closing his eyes, he clasped the bridge of his nose and set his pen down. "I don't know. I mean, I am, but…"

Hearing footsteps, he looked up to see his brother approaching him. Mokuba grabbed a nearby chair, pulled it up to the desk, and sat across from Seto. He was smiling, but his look was serious. "Seto, I know you. I know you aren't the best when dealing with other people. But if you're going to be in this relationship, then you need to just admit your feelings about her."

"But Mokuba, I don't _know_ if this is a relationship!" He hadn't meant it to sound so harsh, but the tension and confusion over the past few days came out in one statement. He leaned back in his seat and stared down at his desk, avoiding his brother's gaze.

"How do you not know? You guys were asleep next to each other this morning with your arms wrapped around her! What more proof do you need?"

"We haven't said how we feel about each other," Seto insisted. "I don't know how she feels about me. I feel like I don't know _anything_ about what's going on. My head just keeps spinning… I have no idea what to do about this." All the thoughts of this week came pouring out. He closed his eyes and placed his head in the palm of his hand. "She was just meant to help me while my leg was healing. I didn't mean to…to…" He sighed heavily. "This is all just so damn confusing."

"Seto…"

He shook his head. "I didn't mean to develop something for her." There it was. It was spoken. The words hung in the air. He couldn't say "love." It wasn't love. But it was _something_. Something beyond friendship.

"But now you do, right? You really care about her?"

He slowly nodded his head.

"Talk to her."

The command took him by surprise. He looked up to see Mokuba staring intently at him. "What?"

"Talk to her. Tonight. You need to get this off your chest, Seto. You're doing nobody any favors by keeping your emotions held back, especially if you feel this strongly about her."

"But I—"

"No buts!" Mokuba interrupted, holding his hand out to silence Seto. "Talk to her."

"But what if she…" He scoffed and shook his head. He sounded so pathetic, so absolutely pathetic right now. It made his hands clench in anger.

"If she fell asleep with you, then I don't think you have much to worry about concerning her emotions," Mokuba pointed out. "But honestly, Seto… If you know you like her, then _say_ something. Tell her. You do realize she's looking for a new apartment right now. You remember that, right? What happens when she leaves? Do you want her to leave you alone?"

Seto merely stared at the desk, ignoring his brother's gaze. He felt like a child all of a sudden, a child being scolded by his brother for being so stupid. Letting his hand fall down on the armrest, he asked, "What the hell am I supposed to say? I don't love her…"

"Just tell her you care about her. That you like having her around. No one can read emotions, Seto. You have to tell others how you feel." Mokuba chuckled. "I've gotten good at it over the years 'cuz I know you so well, but not everyone is like that. Sometimes you gotta spell it out."

"Talking to her would be the most illogical thing I ever did," Seto argued.

"Would it? It seems pretty logical to me. You like her, she clearly has something for you… Seems to make sense that you would talk to her about this."

Seto bit his lower lip in frustration. "I don't know…"

"I know you don't know, which is why I'm here to tell you. Talk to her. Please. Seto…" Seto glanced over at Mokuba. He was staring at him with imploring eyes, leaning forward so that his forearms rested on the desk. "I know… I know it's hard for you to trust others. But Anzu is a good person. And honestly, we all see what a good effect she has on you. You've been playing games more. You're more relaxed at home. I know part of that is just you being away from the corporation for two weeks, but still… I don't think I ever saw you asleep with a smile on your face. I know you don't like thinking about things like this, but I'm not going to be around forever. I would really like knowing that, when I graduate school and move on, you'll have someone to come home to, someone you can trust."

"Mokuba…" For once, he was at a loss for words with his younger brother. _"Sometimes I really wonder who is responsible for whom."_

"If you want, I can even go to a friend's house tonight, just to give you two some space. But seriously, let out what it is you're feeling. If you don't, Seto, and she goes off, you're going to regret it. I know you are."

Before Seto could respond, the phone suddenly started ringing. He blinked in surprise and swiftly picked it up. "Kaiba."

"I knew I'd be able to get a hold of you at work."

Seto's eyes widened. "Yugi?!" _"Oh, this little shit…"_ Mokuba's eyes widened when he heard the name.

"Yeah, it's me. Glad you remember."

"What the hell is your problem?" Yugi's tone was none too kind, and Seto had a sneaking suspicion as to why that was. He was no mood, however, to be dealing with Yugi's issues right now.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that you're dating Anzu, despite the fact that you never gave a damn about our group before!"

"Yugi, how old are we again, and how long ago was that? Grow up. We all have."

"No! I am _not_ accepting this! You were an asshole to all of us, Kaiba! All those years ago, you cared about nothing and no one but yourself. Now I am supposed to believe you care about Anzu, that you've somehow opened your heart to her? No. I refuse to let her be involved with you."

"This isn't your choice, Yugi," he replied sternly. "You can do one of two things. You can accept the fact that Anzu appreciates my company and that I am protecting her after she experienced a rather harsh life situation. That's what you should do. The other thing you can do, which I wouldn't recommend, would be to sit at home and wallow in your own misery. Honestly, that sounds like what's happening now."

"How dare you say that!"

"How dare _you_ make Anzu upset!" The memory of her crying made his blood boil. He clenched his fists in anger. "What did you think you were going to gain by making her cry? Do you think yelling curses at someone is a way to get them to appreciate you? What even was the purpose of your calling here?"

"To tell you that I don't approve of this at all!"

"Okay. You made your point. Now get over it."

"Kaiba—"

"What do you want, Yugi?" He sighed heavily in frustration. "You want Anzu to be happy, right? Well, she's happy with me. I can't say I'm sorry to learn that she isn't happy with you, but that's the way of it. She likes being with me. And quite frankly, I don't appreciate your comments concerning my behavior. For someone who caused her to cry after all those friendship speeches, you certainly have a lot of nerve."

"You're a bastard, Kaiba!"

"And you're a lonely idiot who can't get over his high school crush. Move on, Yugi." Hanging the phone up, he sighed heavily and shook his head. "That was pointless…"

"Jounouchi mentioned to me the other day about how upset Yugi is over this," Mokuba noted. "I guess they couldn't keep him from calling forever."

"Yeah, Jounouchi called me the other day, too."

"He did?!" Mokuba's eyes widened, and Seto chuckled.

"Yeah, about Anzu. He wanted me to know that I need to keep her away from Yugi. I didn't tell Anzu about the call, though, so I'd appreciate it if you kept that information to yourself."

"Right, sure. I got it. But damn…"

"What?"

Seto watched as his brother's shocked face turned into its Cheshire cat look-alike. "You must realllllly like Anzu if you're willing to make an ally out of Jou."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"I'll call Jou and let him know that Yugi phoned us here," Mokuba remarked. "I'll also ask if I can spend the night with him in order to give you and Anzu some space."

"Mokuba, you don't have to do that," Seto remarked. "She has dance practice tonight. I'll talk to her when she gets back."

"I'm still doing it. I wanna talk to Jou about Yugi anyway. But you better, Seto. If I find out tomorrow morning you didn't go through with it, we're gonna have a chat."

Seto smirked. "Yeah, yeah… Just tell the mutt to get Yugi off my case. I don't have the patience for him."

"Will do."

Seto watched as his little brother exited the office, leaving him alone. His eyes wandered back to the phone, and his shoulders sagged. He remembered Anzu crying after Yugi called her all those names, but more importantly, he remembered how he had held her. The urge to protect her had overwhelmed him. _"Mokuba's right…again. I can't keep just thinking these thoughts. I need… I need to talk to her about this."_ And after he talked to her, he had to figure out a way to keep Yugi from her that was in legal grounds. _"I will not let him talk to her that way again… I can take the heat. I don't care what he says about me. If he has to call me every day and take out his anger so that she doesn't come home crying, I'll more than happily give him my number__.__ Just so long as she doesn't cry because of him ever again."_


	30. 30 : Confessions

Chapter 30 : Confessions

"NOOOO!"

Seto bit his lower lip to suppress the urge to laugh. Anzu's screen turned red on the television; she had been struck by the boss's final attack before it died and disappeared, meaning she did not get the experience from the fight. "Dammit!" she shouted, slamming her fists into the couch. "What the hell?! How did he do that?! You _definitely_ attacked him before he hit me! How did he possibly do that?!"

Seto raised a hand to cover his mouth. In all his emotional turmoil, he had forgotten how amusing she was when she was angry. She growled and leaned back into the sofa, pouting at the television. "Stupid boss…"

"It's not like we won't fight him again," he noted. "We can honestly keep fighting him as often as we want. He'll respawn if we redo some of the quests."

"Still sucks… Now you're even more ahead of me in levels."

Seto shrugged as he clicked to return to the main city. "It's not that big a deal."

"Still sucks…"

He smirked and shook his head. "So how was practice? You never said anything about it."

"Practice was good, but..." Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, "Ayame is annoying me about how our instructor treats us. Yeah, the practices are tougher now, but that is only because our recital is so soon! Ayame doesn't seem to want to put in the least amount of effort in order to make our dance perfect. I keep telling her that our instructor means well, that she's just pushing us in order to fully prepare us, but she doesn't want to listen to me." Anzu sighed in frustration and leaned against him, letting her head fall against his arm. "She's a good friend, so it's really annoying when she gets this way. I should know by now to expect this, as she does it every year, but I just wish she would shut up and do what was asked of her. Things would run so smoothly if she did."

Seto nodded in understanding. Making a bold move, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brought her closer to him. "She'll get over it," he replied, ignoring his beating heart.

"I hope so." The two merely stared at the television screen, their characters doing nothing since neither one of them was holding onto their controllers any longer. "How was your day?" she suddenly asked.

"Tiring. I had a handful of meetings and as many reports to fill out."

"All that time off catching up to you?"

"Something like that. There is a conference being held this Saturday, and Mokuba and I are planning to showcase some of the video game at it in order to get attention for the release. We already know what we are presenting and which section we're showing. Mokuba is going to play the game while I explain the premise of it. But there is still the matter of checking times, seeing who else is going to be there, practicing the presentation…"

"Are there going to be other producers showcasing their games?"

Seto nodded. "Yeah, about a dozen of us will be there, along with reporters and industry leaders who wish to ask questions."

"I'm sure you'll do well. You always seem confident when you speak in public."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Comes with practice."

"I suppose…"

Grabbing the controller with his good hand, he exited out of the game and glanced down at her. "Anzu…can we…talk about something?"

She blinked in surprise. "S-Sure." She went to move away from him, but he kept his arm wrapped around her. She smiled and snuggled up next to him. They were both dressed in their pajamas; he was wearing his typical black silk, while she was dressed in blue yoga pants and a light pink t-shirt.

Grabbing the remote control, he turned the television off. The only sound was the humming of the Gamecube, but he didn't feel like getting up to turn it off. Instead, he leaned back into the sofa, propping his feet up on the coffee table in front of them, ignoring the slight twinge of pain that shot up his leg muscles. Yuki was sitting on the coffee table staring at the two; she had been upset by the lack of attention received and thought sitting in front of the television would work. Unfortunately for her, the television was just high enough to make her sitting in front of them inconsequential.

"Let me just ask you, Anzu, since I honestly don't know how to word it… What…do you think of us?" He saw her eyes widen. She clearly had not been expecting this conversation. _"I don't care. I'm not prepared for her answers, either. But I need to figure this out… We need to figure this out."_

"I think… I don't know."

He mentally growled in frustration. This was not a good start. "What do you think of me?"

"I think you're extremely caring, and I'm grateful for everything you've done for me." It was the straightforward, cop-out answer.

"Is that all?"

She shrugged and leaned into him. "I like sitting with you, like this. I like being with you. I like it when you wrap your arms around me." Giggling, she smiled up at him and said, "I like lying next to you, listening to your heart beat. And I like knowing that you're sleeping soundly."

"You're listing all the things you like doing with me. That doesn't answer my question."

She rolled her eyes, yet her smile never faltered. "Fine, you caught me. I like you. I like you more than I ever liked Jounouchi, or Yugi, or Honda, or any of the guys in the group. I like your smile… I like you." Her tone became softer, more serious. "I've learned so much about you. I feel like, while I still don't know everything there is to know about you, I know enough to know that you will always protect me, that you would never harm me. I feel safe when I'm near you, Seto. I feel happy." She wrapped her arms around his torso. "I feel happy…like I never want to leave your side. I can't explain it. It's all happened so fast, and under such bizarre circumstances. And yet… I don't want to dismiss it. I want to see it through. I want it to last. I want… I want to continue being with you, Seto."

He shifted slightly in order to wrap his arms around her, one around her torso and the other to play with her soft, brown hair. He merely stared down at her, taking in her words. "What about you?" she asked. "What do you think of me?"

"I…" He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I feel like… Um, I-I…" He never felt so unnerved in his life. _"Say it." _Tightening his grip on her, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath."I…like you too."

It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. When he next opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of Anzu staring up at him. Her eyes were wide and full of joy. A bright smile shone on her face. "I-I don't know if it's love," he quickly added, feeling his face flush at her expression, "But I… I care about you. I've never…felt this way before. About anyone. And I, well… I…"

She silenced him with a kiss. His eyes widened as he felt her warm lips against his. Her eyes were closed, but when she backed away, she opened them to small slits. She smiled at him. "We can take this slowly," she whispered, placing her hand against his cheek. "I know you aren't the best with emotions. We don't have to do much if you don't want to. But I… I think you should know… I do really care for you, Seto. I love being with you. You've really…become important to me, you know?"

Before he knew what he was doing, he brought her face to his and planted his lips on hers. The warmth of her face so close to his, added with the sensation of her lips, made his heart melt. All the emotions he felt for her, spread out over a two week time period, flooded back to him. He wrapped his arms around her to protect her. He kissed her lips again. She pressed back, and his heart skipped a beat. He wanted her here. He never wanted her to leave.

The two soon parted from each other, staring into each other's eyes. Seeing her smile made Seto smile. He picked her up and moved her to his lap, holding her against his chest. He wanted to make this last, but… "You know, there are going to be problems with this arrangement."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, there are going to be some things you need to get used to." He didn't want to have this discussion, but it would be entirely unfair not to have it. "You thought Oyama was bad? Just wait until people learn that we _are_ actually dating, or…doing whatever it is that we're doing." He blushed, and she chuckled at him.

"I think we can consider ourselves dating now," she noted.

"Yeah, well… Either way, the paparazzi and all those idiots out there are going to eat it up like candy. They won't leave you alone for a second. I can only do so much to protect you…"

Placing her head against his shoulder, she smiled up at him and nodded in understanding.

"It's going to hurt at first, the things they say," he continued. "They usually say the worst things imaginable about people, especially the women. They'll want to eat you alive." He frowned. "If you don't think you can handle it…it might be best if we didn't…do this."

She swiftly shook her head no. "I won't allow others to dictate my life," she insisted. "And they can't hurt me as badly as Yugi did."

"_Yugi…"_ The memory of his phone call shot a pang of anger through his system. He would have to ask Mokuba if Jounouchi was capable of getting any sort of restraint on that boy.

"But no, I understand things will…be different," Anzu stated, oblivious to his thoughts. "As long as I know, though, that I have you and this comfy couch to come home too… I think I'll be able to manage."

He laughed at the idea. "I'm not going to have you sleeping on these couches for eternity, Anzu. In fact, I'm pretty sure Irika had a room prepared for you days ago."

She shrugged. "I know, but what can I say? A comfy bed doesn't kiss me back."

He smirked. "I'll be sure to put that in the video game somewhere, just for you."

Her eyes widened as she looked at him incredulously. "Now _that_ would be weird."

"I'll be sure to put some loot under the bed, too, so you have to interact with it."

He chuckled as she playfully slapped his chest. "Oh, you are just so cruel!"

"Maybe I'll put that in the sequel. It will be part of the tutorial, which will only be triggered in the "Baby Mode" difficulty of the game."

This time, he couldn't suppress his laughter as she growled and tried to turn away from him. Crossing her arms over her chest, she playfully pouted and cried out, "Well, if you're going to be like that, then I'm just going to play _Phantasy Star Online_ without you from now on."

His smirk widened. "But Anzu, how am I going to get all the experience from the boss fights if you aren't there to die right after I kill them?"

"OOooooohhh!" Jerking out of his grasp, she grabbed the nearby pillow and smacked him full on the head with it. Laughing, he grabbed the pillow and pulled it out of her grasp, blushing when she landed on top of him. Their faces were inches apart, and this time, neither one hesitated to lean forward and kiss the other. Seto was quickly learning he couldn't get enough of the taste of her lips. They were so soft, so smooth… She began cuddling against him again. She was so warm…his heart fluttered in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her once more and broke away from the kiss. He then moved a few strands of hair from her face before glancing over at the clock.

"It's getting late…" he noted. "We should probably head to bed."

She smiled and nodded. Standing from the sofa, she said, "I'mma go brush my teeth first," before exiting the room. He smirked and grabbed his cane, making his way slowly over to the other sofa where the blankets were and grabbing them. Yuki meowed, and he chuckled at her before turning both the Gamecube and the lights out. He then exited the room, the blankets wrapped under his arm.

Passing by the bathroom, in which he could hear the faucet running, Seto managed to make his way to the sofa in the spare living room. He set up the pillow before unfolding the blanket. Spreading it out, he set his cane at the end of the sofa and carefully laid down. Footsteps soon caught his attention, and he glanced up to see Anzu approaching him. She placed her hands on her hips and asked, "So, am I allowed to join you, or am I only allowed to sleep in beds now?"

He smirked and rolled his eyes. Moving to the side, he watched as she crawled onto the sofa next to him. Grabbing a nearby remote, he turned the overhead light off and set the remote back down. Anzu curled up next to him, placing her head in the crook of his neck and a hand on his chest. He leaned down and softly kissed her forehead. She giggled and looked up at him, moving her hand up to his cheek.

For a moment, the two stared at each other. He smiled lightly and sighed. "I'll have to thank Mokuba later," he noted aloud.

She tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Why?"

"I was afraid to talk to you… I had no idea what you were feeling about me. He was the one who pushed me to talk to you about…this."

She smiled warmly and chuckled. "I guess I'll have to thank him, too."

Leaning up, she placed her lips once more against his. Seto returned the kiss with equal passion, wrapping his arms tightly around her, with one arm around her shoulder and the other around her slim waist. She, in return, was placing a hand against his neck, the other caressing his cheek. Their lips pressed against each other, soaking up the warmth and care they felt for each other. He could taste the slight flavor of mint on her lips from her toothpaste. Seto had never felt anything like this before, and he doubted whether he would ever get tired of it. Finally breaking away from her, he sighed and muttered, "Let's go to sleep." She nodded and rested her head against his chest. He kept his arm wrapped around her and sighed in content. "Good night, Anzu."

"Good night, Seto. Sweet dreams."

He nodded and closed his eyes. While sleep did not come immediately, the sound of Anzu's breathing made his heart skip a beat. He shifted slightly and held her close.

"_Perhaps this can work after all…"_


	31. 31 : A Date

Chapter 31 : A Date

It was a rainy, Friday night. Practice had been cancelled in order to let the girls have a break, but Anzu was coming to regret having badmouthed Ayame's previous complaints. She was upset upon learning that they had a full day of practice tomorrow, meaning she would not be able to attend the conference with Seto. She had been looking forward to seeing him and Mokuba present the game, and even though she already knew what the game was like, she nevertheless wanted to be there to support him.

"I told you rainy nights are the best time to go out."

She chuckled and glanced up from her menu at Seto. He was sitting in the leather booth directly across from her, staring down at the menu placed on the wooden table. It had been his idea to go out to eat. He wanted to give Irika the night off, and on top of that, he argued, few people went out when it was pouring down rain. The empty restaurant proved his statement. To her surprise, Seto had taken her to a rather quaint, little sushi joint that looked barely able to hold 100 people. He claimed it had some of the best sushi he ever tasted, and she was secretly happy with the idea of spending a night out with him. _"Last night was so emotional… It's good that we're getting out," _she noted, looking down at her menu. _"And it's just the two of us in here. Our own little date…"_ Her eyes widened. _"Holy cow, I'm on a date with Seto Kaiba."_

A waitress soon brought over a pot of hot, green tea and two ceramic cups. Pulling a little tablet from her pocket, she asked, "What would you two like to order?"

"I want three pieces of salmon, two pieces of white tuna, and the ginger salad," Seto answered, setting his menu at the end of the table.

"And you, ma'am?"

"I'll have the salmon and white tuna as well, but I'd like the soup instead."

"Today's soup is American chicken noodle."

Her eyes widened. "That sounds good! I'll give it a try!"

The waitress smiled, took the menus, and left the two alone. Anzu watched as Seto poured them each a cup of tea and smiled. "How was work today?"

"Good," he answered, taking a sip of his drink. He had changed out of his business suit and was now wearing just a plain, dark blue, button-up t-shirt and black pants. The necklace with the card dangling from it hung around his neck, visible for all to see. "Surprisingly good. Mokuba and I managed to run through our presentation three times, and I was able to get all the reports done for this weekend. I figure Sunday, if you're interested, we can spend the day beta testing."

"How much more of the game do we have to go through?"

"Not much. You just experienced the plot twist with Vash. We have to go back to the hideout, then we go to a new area and learn more about the organization we're working for. From there, we go to one more place, then there's the final boss."

"Sounds good." The plot twist had her curious. Apparently Vash knew about the organization the player worked under and noted that soldiers had been sent in the past to dispose of the ghosts. But to get rid of the ghosts, one had to make sacrifices…and Anzu was beginning to wonder if players would ultimately end up as the sacrifice.

He nodded and took another sip of his drink. The waitress came back with two bowls and set each down in front of its owner. She then bowed and left them be once more. Anzu smiled, grabbed the nearby spoon, and took a big whiff of her soup. "Mmm…smells delicious."

"Mokuba and I used to come in here often, when we needed to get away from work," Seto remarked, taking a bite of his salad. "This place is packed full during lunch, but it's not so bad at night, and it's practically empty on rainy nights like tonight."

Anzu nodded. Outside, she could hear the rain pattering against the windows. The inside, however, was cozy. The walls were warm, earthy colors, and light, traditional Japanese music played on the speakers overhead. She heard the front door to the place open and chuckled at Seto's shocked reaction. "Looks like someone else had the same idea…"

"Yeah…"

She giggled and took a sip of her soup. Her eyes widened as the warmth spread throughout her system. "Oh my goodness, you're right! This is _so_ good!" She glanced up to see Seto staring down at his bowl, frowning when she noticed the confusion in his eyes. "Seto…? Everything all right?"

He smirked and shook his head. "Yeah, just…thinking."

"You should take a break from that."

He scoffed. "Brains don't work that way, Anzu."

"Especially yours."

His smirk widened. "Especially mine…" He took another bite of his salad. "So just to make sure, are you able to come to the conference tomorrow?"

She frowned and looked down at her own bowl. Sighing, she answered, "No… I can't." She peeked up to see Seto's stunned expression. "Natsumi just told us this morning that she was cancelling practice tonight so that we could have a day practice tomorrow. It'll be right in the middle of the conference."

"That's shit. She should have called you earlier than this morning. Tell her you already have plans."

"I can't, Seto… I have the solo. If I was just a back-up dancer, yeah, I would, but…" Her stomach twisted at Seto's disappointed gaze. "I'm sorry."

He slowly shook his head and finished his salad. "It's okay. It's not like there won't be future conferences. And I understand how important dancing is to you."

While it sounded understanding, she could still tell he was hurt by the situation. Sighing, she added, "I'm going to talk to her tomorrow, though. At first I was upset with Ayame's complaining, but now…perhaps our instructor does need to be reminded that we don't all work around her schedule." Anzu glanced up to see the waitress walking towards them with a take-out bag. When she passed their table, she thought, _"Must be for the guy who just came in."_

"Honestly, it's fine," Seto insisted. Smirking up at her, he added, "It just means I have to be extra possessive of you tonight and Sunday."

She chuckled and finished her soup. "Like you wouldn't be anyways…"

"Like it bothers you," he countered.

"I never said it did." He smiled over at her, and the waitress walked past them once more. "In fact, I rather enjoy it."

His stare made her heart flutter. His eyes were surprisingly warm, and the smile had yet to leave his lips. Those soft lips that pressed against her own the previous evening. She would have never thought his lips would be so delicate, so sensual. Her eyes wandered down from his face to his necklace, and she chuckled and asked, "You always carry your Blue Eyes White Dragons with you?"

At this, he frowned, and his eyebrows knit together in confusion. "I don't have my Blue Eyes on me. My deck is in a safe in my room."

Now she frowned in confusion. Pointing at his necklace, she asked, "Then what card is hanging around your neck all the time?"

He chuckled and slowly took it off, handing it over to her. She saw that it was not a card, but a locket. Clicking the button to open it, she gasped when she saw the image of a much younger Mokuba. His eyes were wide, and he had the biggest smile on his face as he waved to whoever it was taking the picture. "He looks so happy," she observed.

"It was taken when we were at the orphanage," Seto explained. "I had lockets made from a larger image. He also has one of me."

She blinked in surprise. Even now, it was almost impossible for her to imagine what Seto looked like as a kid. "That's so sweet…" She handed it back to him and watched as he deftly put it back around his neck. She remembered seeing it in the past, even all the way back to Pegasus's tournament, but she always thought it was just a card. _"All this time… Another thing about Seto that I took for granted."_

"It's to remind me what I am fighting for…what the stakes are," he stated, leaning forward and placing his forearms on the table. "I've had this locket for years. I even had to get it replaced once due to wear. But it keeps me grounded. It keeps me focused on what I need to get done."

Anzu nodded in understanding and blinked in surprise when the waitress suddenly appeared at their table. She set both plates of sushi down and smiled. "Do you need any refills, or would you like more soup and salad?" she inquired.

"I am fine," Seto answered.

"Same," Anzu replied. The waitress smiled, bowed, and left them once more. Grabbing a pair of chopsticks, Anzu picked up a piece of salmon and bit into it. Her eyes widened. _"Seto sure has good taste in food… This is ridiculously delicious."_

"So tell me about this dance. You only talk about the rehearsals and drama that goes on, but you've never told me what style of dance you're doing."

She smiled and took another bite of her sushi. "It's mostly ballet, though I have a section that utilizes tap shoes. It's an original piece; a girl in our group, Ichiko, came up with the idea. A girl is returning home after serving in the military for years, and it's a show about her struggles of readjusting into ordinary society. You see, Ichiko's sister had just come back from military duty about a year ago, and apparently things didn't go well. She turned her sister's struggle into the theme of our dance."

She watched Seto's eyes widen in curiosity as he took a large bite of his sushi. "So what role do you play?"

"I'm playing the main role, as the sister. Ichiko is playing herself." Anzu chuckled. "I met her sister once during rehearsal. It's a little scary, as I have a lot to live up to, but the sister, Saka, seems really excited about the idea. She wished me a lot of luck and is excited for the performance."

"You said you have some solos?"

Anzu nodded and finished chewing before continuing. "Yeah. It comes with playing the main role. But it's also a lot of fun."

"I'm surprised Ichiko didn't choose to play as her sister."

Anzu shook her head. "She told me she simply couldn't. She knows too much about being Saka's sister to know how to be Saka. It would be like you playing Mokuba." Seto slowly nodded in understanding. "It's actually worked surprisingly well. Ichiko has been a great teacher for me."

"Is she the instructor who's making you stay tomorrow?"

"No, that's Natsumi."

"How is it that you're the lead dancer and Ichiko's the main designer, but Natsumi is your director?"

Anzu laughed. "Dancing, especially at our level, is very much a group activity. Natsumi is the strictest of us, hence why we chose her to be the leader. But she's only the leader because we call her that. Everyone knows this entire production is Ichiko's idea, and the others have a lot of faith in me to perform well, as I have faith in them to support me." She watched as he slowly looked down at his sushi and took another bite.

"Where will you be performing?"

"At the local theater."

His eyes widened. "At Domino Performances? That's a rather large theater…"

She giggled. "Well, we tend to attract rather large audiences."

He smirked. "Just make sure I get front row seats."

She blushed at the statement. "Y-You want to see the show?"

"Of course." His tone indicated his shock at such a question. "Why wouldn't I want to see your performance?"

"I-I don't know…do you even like watching ballet?"

"I've seen enough of them to know there are some I like and some I don't."

"When did you ever see a ballet performance?"

"Under…under _him._" Anzu's eyes widened; she knew who 'he' was. "We had to go to a lot of galleries and dances for a few years. There was a time in the corporate world where social gatherings were almost more important than actually getting work done. Another element of the company that I made sure to change. But that's how I know how large the inside of that theater is. I've been there more than a handful of times." Smirking, he added, "This might be the first time I'm actually excited about going, though."

The idea that Seto was excited to see her perform made her blush even more. She picked up another piece of sushi and smiled. "Well, just know I won't be getting you front row seats. Those are the worst when it comes to dances; you tend to get the music blaring in your ears. I'll reserve for you a balcony seat. That way you can see the whole stage."

"So long as I can see you, I don't care where I'm sitting."

"How about this…?" Setting her chopsticks down, she smirked and said, "To make up for the fact that I can't go to your conference tomorrow, you come to my recital, and I'll go to the midnight release of your video game. Deal?"

Seto's eyes widened. "How is it that you don't play video games but understand the concept of a midnight release?" A midnight release was always held for the biggest games being released; every game store releasing the game would hold a party from the normal closing hour until midnight, when the game was officially allowed to be sold. People would line up for hours, play games, and discuss strategies until the game they pre-ordered was placed in their hands. It was a big tradition in the video game community.

"Because Yugi and Jounouchi dragged me to over six of them."

His eyes widened, and he swiftly looked down at his sushi. Before she could say anything, however, he shook his head no. "You don't have to bribe me to go to your recital. I would go whether you came to my midnight release or even the conference tomorrow. I want to see what you've been putting all your hard work and effort into." Taking another bite of his sushi, he added, "Isn't that what people do in relationships? Support each other?"

She could feel her face light up. "Yeah…"

"Then I'm going to support you, Anzu, no matter what you do. Unless, of course, it harms you in some way."

"And then what?"

"Then I'm going to install a kissing bed in my video game and have him chase after you the entire time we're playing in the hopes that the lesson sinks in."

Her eyes widened, and the mere idea made her burst out laughing. It didn't help when she saw Seto blushing, doing his best to hold back from chuckling. "I swear, you are so cruel…"

"And you're unoriginal. How many times have you called me that now?"

"Not enough, apparently. You still think it's funny when I die while playing your games."

"I can't help it if you're cute when you're angry."

Both blushed, and Seto swiftly took up his cup and sipped at his drink in order to hide his face. Hearing the front door open and close, she peeked around and blinked in surprise when she saw no one behind her. "The guy getting take-out just left," Seto explained. She returned her attention to him and saw him set his cup down, his face returning to its normal shade.

"That's weird. Didn't the waitress give his food to him, like, ten minutes ago?"

"Something along those lines. More than that. I think he was debating if he wanted to order something else. He kept staring at the menu."

She shrugged her shoulders and finished another piece of sushi. "So…I'm cute, huh?" He blushed again, and she giggled. "I'm going to remember that the next time I die in a video game."

"And I'm going to remember to hide loot in all the trash cans in our sequel. No, better yet, behind all the books in that haunted library you love so much."

She laughed once more and merely shook her head. Glancing around the restaurant, she returned her attention to Seto, who was finishing his final piece of sushi. She smiled as that sense of comfort and warmth that every day became more associated with him filled her. It was just the two of them in their own little world, enjoying each other's company. _"A good first date…"_ she thought. _"With hopefully many more to come."_


	32. 32 : The Others

Chapter 32 : The Others

"How did your date with Anzu go?"

Seto sighed as he set down his now-empty mug of hot tea. "It wasn't a date, Mokuba," he argued, taking hold of a sheet of paper with his notes written down on it.

"Seto, when you take your girlfriend out to eat, it's called a date. You gotta start learning the terminology of your relationship, Big Bro." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "But seriously, how did it go?"

"Fine," he answered.

"Where'd you take her?"

"To Takaichi's Sushi, our old spot."

"Awww, man! And you didn't invite me?"

Seto smirked and set his paper down in order to stare at his brother. "It was a _date_. People don't take their siblings along on their dates."

Mokuba stuck his tongue out at his brother before leaning back in his chair and laughing. They were in the game room, Seto in front of his laptop and Mokuba sitting in a nearby chair. On the laptop were displayed images of the game, and papers concerning their conference were scattered about. They had run through their presentation two more times, hammering out any minor details, and Seto was feeling surprisingly confident about tomorrow's event.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it went well, at any rate."

Seto nodded before looking over at his brother. "Did you…talk to Jounouchi about the issue with Yugi?"

Mokuba frowned but nodded. "Yeah… Apparently Jounouchi and Yugi had a serious conversation before I arrived. Yugi broke down; he just wants to deny reality. Jounouchi told him he had to accept what was going on. Apparently he said to Yugi something along the same lines you did, that if Yugi really wants Anzu to be happy, he's gotta let her go."

"I saw him at Takaichi's."

Mokuba's eyes widened. Seto sighed and leaned back in his chair. "He came in to pick up some take-out food but froze when he saw the two of us. Rather than leaving, he took a seat in the back and merely watched us."

"What did Anzu say?"

"She didn't see him. He left before we did, and I made sure not to give it away that he was there." He remembered watching Yugi come in from the rain, the shock on his face, the curiosity that clearly got the best of his former rival. He hadn't minded it all that much, but it was unnerving knowing that Anzu, with a single peek, would see him. It took a lot of willpower to keep from showing his own insecurity.

"And he didn't say anything to you guys?"

Seto shook his head no. "He never even approached us. Just say there and watched. I would have said something about it to him, as it was kind of creepy, but I couldn't do so without making a scene."

Mokuba shrugged. "As long as he didn't ruin your guys' evening…"

"No, he didn't. It was just…weird."

"I can imagine. Though who knows? Maybe that's what he needed to see."

Seto frowned. "What did he need to see?"

"That you and Anzu are happy together. That she's happy being with you. That everyone else has moved on, and he's gotta change his attitude if he wants to keep his friends around." Seto hadn't thought of that. He had been too concerned over Anzu turning her head and noticing her friend to think what was running through the runt's mind. "But yeah, Jounouchi said he would try talking to him again, but at this point, I think Yugi just has to learn to get out of this mindset himself. Jounouchi talking to him all the time clearly isn't working."

Seto shrugged his shoulders. Sighing, he closed his laptop and set aside the papers. He heard Yuki meow in the distance and turned in his chair to see her sitting on top of the sofa, staring curiously at the two with her tail wagging. Mokuba yawned and stood from his seat, tossing the papers onto the desk. "I'm heading to bed," he muttered, stretching his arms up as he did so.

"Yeah, me too…" The clock on the wall revealed that it was nearly one in the morning, and they had to be up by eight in order to be ready in time.

"So you said Anzu isn't tagging along?"

"No. She has practice tomorrow."

"Bummer…"

Grabbing his cane, Seto stood from his seat and shrugged. "It's not like there won't be other opportunities for her to tag along with us."

"Yeah, I suppose."

"Besides, she offered to come to our midnight release party."

Mokuba's eyes widened. "How does she know about midnight release parties?"

Seto laughed, remembering how he had had the same reaction. "Apparently Yugi and Jounouchi took her to a few of them."

"Interesting…" Mokuba yawned once more and sighed heavily. "I'm heading to bed."

"Make sure your alarm is set," Seto stated as Mokuba turned to leave the room. Mokuba waved, signaling he heard his brother, and soon left Seto alone. Seto slowly approached the couch to pet Yuki under her chin. She purred in response, and when Seto stopped, she meowed and jumped down from the sofa as if to follow him. The two made their way to the spare living room, and Seto let a light smile cross his lips when he saw Anzu sleeping on the sofa. Grabbing his clothes from a small chest set up on the other side of the room, he returned to the bathroom and began changing into his pajamas. He avoided looking at his image in the mirror, ignoring the scars that he knew were there. He shuddered at the thought of Anzu learning about them.

"_I guess that's pointless, though. I mean, if we're dating, then… I mean, we'll do more than kissing, I suppose…"_ He blushed at the thought, then blushed even more at his concern. _"Christ, get over it. It's not like I'm having sex with her tonight. I'm a fucking adult."_

Still, as he buttoned up his black, silk shirt, he couldn't help but leave the last top two buttons open, revealing enough skin to see the edges of his scar along his shoulder. _"What will she do…when she finds out about these scars? It's not like our relationship is founded on lust. She is a beautiful woman, but…we didn't develop our bond based on physical attraction. I can't see her being the type to be turned off or upset about it. Still…she'll ask questions. And I can't lie to her if I'm going to be in a…a relationship with her."_

He shuddered and closed his eyes. _"She'll ask questions, and I'll remember. I'll remember all those times he hit me, punched me, slashed at me. I'll remember his alcoholic rampages, his threats against Mokuba."_ He growled and clenched his fist. _"This is why I hate these scars. It's not that the scar itself is bad. It's the memory behind it."_

For years, Seto had been working at moving on from Gozaburo's treatment. But every night, after showering, he had to look at himself in the mirror, only to see the reminder of his abuse. _"It would be so much easier if it didn't have a physical form,"_ he thought, his finger tracing along the scar without even needing to look. He sighed and shook his head. _"In any event, I can't imagine Anzu getting upset about it. And quite frankly, there's no point in worrying about it. It's not like she can make them go away."_

He smiled, however, upon reflecting over the past week's sleep. _"She can't make the scars go away…but Mokuba is right. I don't think I've ever slept this well in my life. Mokuba said he saw her effect on me. Perhaps this is it?"_

He heard Yuki meow outside the door and chuckled. Buttoning the last two buttons, he opened the door slightly and watched as Yuki jumped up onto the counter. "What the hell do you want?" he asked playfully, scratching behind her ear before turning to grab his toothbrush and the toothpaste. He began brushing his teeth, smirking down at Yuki, who stared up at him in wonder. He chuckled and finished, put his stuff away in the drawer underneath, then turned the light off. Grabbing his cane, he hobbled his way back into the living room and slowly approached the sofa where Anzu lay resting.

Setting his cane against the sofa, he carefully sat down next to Anzu. He frowned when she shifted. "Sorry," he whispered.

"You're fine," she whispered back. She scrunched up against the sofa to give him space, and he shook his head as he pulled the blanket over himself and lied down next to her.

"I still don't see why you don't sleep upstairs."

"I already told you. Your bed doesn't kiss me. And I don't want it to, so don't think about putting it into your damn game."

He chuckled at her comment and lightly wrapped his arm around her. He watched as Yuki jumped up onto the back of the sofa and smiled. _"It's funny how quickly this became normal. Mokuba was hinting that we would be a couple last week, but I just brushed it off. Now…here we are."_

"Speaking of, you have yet to kiss me goodnight."

He didn't know whether to laugh or to scoff. He chose the former. He glanced down at Anzu and shook his head. "Well, look who's suddenly bossy."

"I'm not bossy."

"Yeah, and neither am I."

"But you _are_ bossy, Seto."

"Only at work."

"Uh-huh."

He smiled and shook his head. "How do we get on these conversations?"

"By talking."

He rolled his eyes. "What's with your attitude tonight?"

"Tired. I get sarcastic when I'm tired."

"Who told you that?"

"The guys in the group."

He frowned. "When did they see you when you were tired?"

"Lots of times. We always hung out on weekends, and they used to stay up very late. I'd try to stay awake, but it was always pointless. I ended up always being the first one to leave for home. They always told me that when I became sarcastic, they knew I'd be heading back home shortly afterwards."

He smirked. "Well, I can't say I have the best attitude in the world."

"Seto…" Her softened voice surprised him, and he looked over at her. He was surprised to find that, unlike the previous evening, she was now at eye-level with him. She leaned into his body, placing a hand on his shoulder, and frowned. "Do you…think I should tell the others? About us?"

The question sent a shiver through him. _"That's right. She doesn't know that Yugi and Jounouchi are already in on this. And who knows about the others…"_ He brought her closer to him by wrapping his arms tightly around her. For a minute, he didn't speak. He had to say this carefully. "I… I think you should tell the ones who you trust right now."

"So you think I should tell Honda and Jounouchi?"

"If that is who you think will be okay with it, though I can't see Jounouchi approving of us." He added that last bit as cover. He just hoped Jounouchi wouldn't be stupid enough to blurt out how he had phoned Seto last week and given his approval before the two even admitted their feelings for each other.

"I think he will. He's not the Jounouchi he was in high school. He's very appreciative of the fact that you took me in, and now that he's away from his dad, he's not picking so many fights anymore."

Seto frowned. "His dad?"

Anzu nodded. "He had a rough home situation. His dad is a gambler and tends to drink. He doesn't hurt Jounouchi physically, but there's been a lot of mental abuse. Jou's had to break him out of jail on more than one occasion."

Seto's eyes widened. "Shit…" he muttered. He never suspected it.

"He'll be okay with it, I'm sure. And Honda… I don't think Honda will mind."

Seto noticed that she wasn't mentioning Yugi, which made him smile. "Just do what you feel is right."

"I will."

She leaned forward and lightly kissed him on the cheek before setting her head down onto the pillow. He smiled and lightly brushed his fingers against her cheek. He could tell within a few minutes that she had fallen asleep, for her face sunk into the pillow, and her hand, which had been placed against his shoulder, slid down his chest. He swallowed when it brushed against the scar, but rather than pushing her away, he merely brought her closer, feeling her hand against his shoulder.

"Good night, Anzu."


	33. 33 : Painful Success

Chapter 33 : Painful Success

Despite the pain in his leg, Seto couldn't keep the smile off his face as he packed away the remainder of his game equipment. A cameraman was taking photos of him, but he didn't care. He didn't care about anything right now. A giant weight was lifted from his shoulders.

The video game preview had been a massive success.

Not only had all the technology worked in their favor, but both Mokuba and he had answered the interviewers' questions and concerns with precision. He was proud of his little brother. His little brother managed to stand on his own. Several interviewers hinted that Seto had merely dragged Mokuba into doing this project, but Mokuba insisted that the story was his own original design and passionately spoke about the context of the gameplay footage they displayed. Seto was able to answer the technological questions, and he saw a few developers cringing in their seats. He knew people doubted whether he and Mokuba, two people renowned for card games, could make a video game, and now…now he had them rethinking their original suspicions. They proved they could do this, not only to themselves, but to everyone who ever questioned their capabilities. On the whole, he couldn't have asked for a better presentation.

Now if only his damn leg would stop bothering him.

"_I should have listened to Mokuba,"_ he thought as he clasped his briefcase shut. He didn't want to reveal any weakness to a public he knew was ready to eat them alive, and so he had left the cane in the limousine. A stupid move on his part, he reflected; his leg began throbbing with pain only a quarter of the way through the presentation, and he forgot that he would have to stand for the entire thing. He managed to get through it, keeping his focus on the presentation rather than his pain, but now that the presentation was over, he found his leg was nearly ready to give out. He placed his hand firmly on the desk and inhaled slowly.

"Doing all right, Mr. Kaiba?" asked the cameraman.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered.

"You look to be in a bit of pain."

"I said, I'm fine."

"All right…" Snapping one more photo of the CEO, the cameraman waved and said, "Thanks again for stopping by. Really looking forward to your game!"

Seto watched as he exited the room before releasing a heavy sigh. He closed his eyes and shook his head. _"Dammit, I need to sit down."_

Feeling a hand on his arm, he blinked in surprise and turned to see his brother staring with worry at him. Mokuba knew Seto was in pain. Seto was sure it was written across his face. "The limo should be coming up momentarily," Mokuba whispered. "You'll be able to relax then."

Seto nodded and sighed. "Sorry. I should have listened to you."

"Nothing you can do about it now. Although…do you want to go to the doctor's about it and get it checked on?"

Seto shook his head. "No, I don't think it requires medical attention. I just haven't stood this long in awhile."

"Have you been doing the exercises the doctor told you to practice?"

Seto nodded. "I've been walking up and down the stairs three times a day. I was actually hoping to be able to sleep in my bed tonight rather than on the couch." He grunted as his knee involuntarily jerked slightly, sending a shot of pain up to his hip. "Not sure about it now…"

"We'll get you home, and you can take a hot bath before lying down," Mokuba said. Seto smiled; the thought of a hot bath seemed heavenly. He glanced down at his watch to see that it was nearly four o' clock.

"What are you going to—"

"Nice job, Moneybags!"

Seto's eyes widened, and he swiftly turned to see Jounouchi Katsuya climbing up onto the stage. He scoffed and shook his head. "No dogs allowed up on stage, Jounouchi," he scolded, though he made sure his tone wasn't completely antagonistic. Anzu's words still rang in his ear concerning Jounouchi's home life, a situation Seto could easily relate to. While he would never admit, he felt a bit of guilt for some of the harsher things spoken all those years ago.

"And that's the thanks I get for saying hi," Jounouchi remarked. He smirked and waved at Mokuba. "Hey Mokuba. How've ya been?"

"Not bad," Mokuba greeted. Seto saw his brother smile and decided to duck out of the conversation. "What are you doing here?"

"The bookstore I work at has a small video game section, and they're going to have a midnight release for your guys' game," Jounouchi explained. "They wanted me ta show up and cover what you guys had to say about the game. Nice presentation, by the way! The game looks awesome!"

"Thanks Jounouchi!"

Seto swallowed and slowly nodded. "Thanks…"

"So when did ya guys say the game's gonna be released?"

"About a month or so from now," Mokuba explained. "We're looking at exactly five weeks from today as our release date."

"Ah, so two weeks after Anzu's recital?"

Seto's eyes widened. "When is Anzu's recital?" Mokuba inquired.

"Well, three weeks from now, I think. You guys goin'?"

"Are we invited, Seto?"

Seto smirked and nodded. "Of course we are."

"Since when?"

"Since last night, when I went out with Anzu to the sushi place."

Mokuba giggled and, pointing at Seto, glanced up at Jounouchi. "He and Anzu went on a daaaate last night." Seto frowned as he felt his face turn beet red. Jounouchi's laughter filled his ears, and he swiftly turned to glare at the mutt.

"What's so funny about that?"

"Nothin', nothin'!" he exclaimed, waving his hands as if he was innocent. "It's just…man, who'da thought all them years ago…"

Seto shrugged. "Whatever…"

"Hey, you know what I said. So long as you treat her right, I don't care."

"Hmph. Maybe you should pass that ideology onto your friend?"

"You mean Yug'?" Jounouchi sighed and shook his head. "Man, I don't know what to do 'bout him. Though I didn't see him since the other night, when Mokuba came over. Haven't even heard from him."

"You think he's okay?" Mokuba asked.

"I hope so…"

Feeling a new shot of pain in his leg, Seto grunted and leaned forward, placing his forearms on the table. "Mokuba, go check to see if the limo has come around."

"Okay, Seto." He listened as his little brother rushed around the stage, leaving the two alone. Seto sighed heavily and went to stand when he felt a hand against his shoulder.

"Hey man…you doin' alright?"

He shivered at the touch and clenched his hands. "I'm fine…"

"You sure? Your leg hurtin' ya?"

"You could…say that." Where had this pain come from? It had to be the adrenaline. He had been so focused on presenting his video game, so excited and happy to be up on stage talking about his project, that he had hardly noticed his leg. Now it felt like something was taking a jackhammer to it, twisting the muscle into a tight knot and refusing to let go.

"Here, sit down." He turned and watched as Jounouchi grabbed a nearby chair and brought it up to him. Seto couldn't help but fall back in it, leaning forward to place his elbows on his knees.

"Thanks…"

"No prob." Glancing around, he muttered, "I'm honestly surprised Anzu ain't here to cheer ya on."

"She had a last-minute dance practice to attend."

"Ah, okay. Makes sense, I guess. Though I gotta say, I'm happy ta hear you're comin' to her recital. She always invites her best friends to them. It means she really does like ya." Chuckling, he added, "Though if what Mokuba said is true, you guys are already past the "like" stage."

"Did she invite you?" he asked, ignoring his last statement.

"Yeah. Though I hope I can make it. I gotta put it in my time sheet that I can't work that day."

Seto slowly nodded in understanding. "Thank you, by the way, for keeping an eye on Yugi for me. Between the video game and taking care of Anzu, I really don't have time to be dealing with his shit."

"Hey, no prob. I know we aren't the best of friends, but you've pulled through and saved our butts a few times. And you wouldn't have raised such an awesome little brother if you were a total asshole. And quite frankly, she seems… I don't know, she's just happier. The last time I talked to her, she sounded pretty positive about you two. Whatever it is you two are doing together, I can tell she's happy with it, and that's all that matters. Just don't do anything ta hurt her, a'ight?"

Seto nodded and glanced back up at Jounouchi. "I won't. I promise you that."

For a minute, the two of them stared at each other, and a sudden understanding passed between them. They would never necessarily be friends; there was too much history there. But there could be respect. Jounouchi respected Anzu's decision to date Seto, and Seto respected Anzu's decision to be friends with Jounouchi, much as he respected Mokuba's decision to do the same. Unless Anzu broke it off with one, the other would have to deal with him for the rest of eternity, and neither one wanted to cause trouble. Jounouchi could easily have sided with Yugi but didn't. Seto could just as easily taunt the mutt but chose to remain silent. An unspoken alliance was formed. Jounouchi smiled, and even Seto smirked. Glancing down at his notebook, which Seto just noticed, Jounouchi sighed and pat Seto on the shoulder once more. "Well, just wanted ta say I liked your little show, and I'mma write a good report about it for our book store. Lookin' forward to the game! You take care!"

Seto watched as he left the stage, leaving him alone. For a moment, he merely sat in silence, letting the episode sink into his brain. Shaking his head, he then went to stand when a sudden burst of pain spread from his knee outward. He cried out and fell to the floor hard, pressing his palms flat against the floor to keep from hitting his head. _"Fuck!"_ His hand retaliated with its own shot of pain. He glanced down at his wrapped wrist and thought, _"Shit…" _He groaned and slowly, very slowly, pushed himself up to a standing position, falling back against the table in order to gain some sense of balance. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, perking his head up when he heard footsteps approaching. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of his brother.

"The limo's here," Mokuba stated. He frowned at Seto and quickly approached. "You…all right?"

"No, I'm not." Seto answered. "My leg is absolutely killing me. I landed on the floor, and my hand…" Now his hand was hurting.

"Seto…"

"We're going to the doctor's," he said. His hand was swelling, not a good sign.

"Here, let me grab your briefcase," Mokuba gestured. He quickly rushed over, swiped the briefcase, then took his brother's free hand. "Let's go."

The two walked off the stage and around the back, through the backstage door and down a flight of stairs. They soon came out to the back parking lot, where the limousine and a few staggering cars remained. Seto got in as quickly as he could, sighing heavily when he felt himself sink into the leather. Mokuba slid in across from him and told the driver, "To the ER! Seto wants to see a doctor."

"Right away, sir!" The driver rushed to the front of the limo, strapped himself in, and began driving. Seto leaned forward and grabbed a hold of his knee, flinching when the bottom of his leg shivered in agony. The knot was getting tighter, it seemed.

"Seto, just relax!" Mokuba exclaimed. "Just lay down. See if that helps." He nodded and did so, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow in the process. "Why is your leg hurting so much all of a sudden?"

"I don't know," Seto answered. "I don't think I was prepared to stand that long for the presentation."

"Did it hurt while you were presenting?"

"No… But I was too focused to notice anything else."

"Seto…" A moment of silence passed between the two before Mokuba suddenly asked, "Should we call Anzu?"

"No, not yet," he answered. "I don't want to worry her in case it's nothing."

"Doesn't seem like nothing to me…"

Seto shook his head. "Besides, she won't be done until six tonight. There is no point in calling and getting her worried if we're going to beat her home. We'll just explain everything then, if there is anything to explain."

"It's up to you…"

Seto frowned. "I'm not going to ruin her last two hours of practice by distracting her, Mokuba."

"Well, think of it this way. If she got hurt at practice, and you were at work with only two hours to go, what would you want her to do?"

"I'd want her to—" Seto's eyes widened before he sighed in defeat. Swiping his cell phone out of his pocket, he dialed her number and held it to his ear. He waited several rings, but the voicemail soon went through. He instinctively smiled upon hearing her voice before hearing the click, signaling it was time for him to speak. "Hey Anzu, it's me. The presentation went well, but my leg is acting up. We're going to the hospital to get it checked out. I should still be home by six, but I'll let you know if anything changes." Shutting his phone, he slid it back in his pocket and frowned when he heard Mokuba chuckle. Turning his head, he asked, "Now what?"

"You forgot to end with 'I love yooooouuu!'" Mokuba burst out laughing as Seto scowled and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever…" Hearing the limo come to a halt, he glanced out the window to see the towering hospital in the distance. A few more blocks, and they would be there. He sighed and muttered, "Sorry about this."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because we should be celebrating how successful the presentation was." Smiling, he turned to look out at his brother. "You did really well, by the way. I'm proud of you."

Mokuba smiled. "_We_ did really well."

"Yeah, but you held your own up there against those reporters. You did a good job, Mokuba." Mokuba's smile widened, and he nodded before leaning back in his seat.

"Thanks, Seto."

A few moments later, the limo came to a halt. Seto sighed and slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position. _"Time to get this checked out..."_


	34. 34 : Scars

Chapter 34 : Scars

"Hello, Miss Anzu, how was—"

"Where is he?"

Irika blinked in shock and blushed slightly. "He is upstairs, in his room," she answered. "His room is on the left, down the hallway and—"

Anzu didn't even stay to listen to the rest of Irika's instructions. She rushed up the stairs, her ballet equipment forgotten on the floor of the main foyer. She climbed two to three stairs at a time, bolting down the hallway the second she reached the second floor. Her heart beat heavily in her chest. She received the message after practice concerning Seto's trip to the hospital, as well as a follow-up saying that he had come home and was fine, but she had to make sure. She had to see that he was okay.

"_How did he even get upstairs?"_ she pondered as she slowly came to a halt, realizing too late she should have listened to Irika's instructions. She was now at an intersection and had no idea where to go. _"Did they carry him up to his room?" _It was pointless to ponder on that. _"First thing's first. I gotta make sure he's okay."_ Rushing to the end of the hallway in front of her, she tapped lightly on the door and pushed it open to reveal a study room. _"Nope."_ Turning, she tried the other door. It appeared to be a library. _"Not it either."_

It took another five doors, all leading to what looked like study rooms or libraries of some sort, before she finally took a left down a new hallway. Rushing to the end, she knocked on the door and pushed it slightly ajar. Spotting a dresser drawer on the opposite wall, she burst through and sighed in relief at the sight before her.

Seto was lying in the middle of a four-poster bed that appeared to be about three times the size of its inhabitant. He was dressed in his usual black, silk pajamas, his head facing her direction. His eyes were closed, however, and he didn't move despite her presence. His hand was now missing its usual cast but appeared to be wrapped with a thick towel. His leg was slightly propped up by folded blankets, but he otherwise looked okay. "Hey…" she greeted, taking a moment to catch her breath. He didn't respond, and she sighed once more. _"He's asleep…"_

Slowly approaching him, she leaned down and placed her forearms on the surprisingly hard bed. Reaching out to touch his arm, she was shocked by the coldness of the towel and realized the towel was simply covering an ice bag. She slowly lifted a portion of the towel to reveal a thin wrapping around his wrist. His cast was gone. _"He didn't mention anything about his hand in his message,"_ she reflected. _"I wonder what happened…" _She slowly crawled up onto the bed and took her seat next to him, watching his chest rise and fall. She reached forward and brushed a few strands of hair from his face, feeling the warmth of his skin underneath her fingertips. She smiled at his calm expression before glancing around the room. _"I've never been in his room until now,"_ she reflected with surprise. _"In fact, other than my room, I don't know this floor at all."_

Seto's bedroom was, naturally, larger than any bedroom she had ever seen, at least twice the size of her old living room back at her apartment. The four poster bed was along the northern wall, with a window above overlooking the gardens beyond. A small, wooden nightstand was next to it, with a framed photo of Mokuba and Seto during Battle City set next to a small lamp. A bookshelf lined the eastern wall, filled to the brim with folders, documents, and novels. The southern wall had a dresser drawer and a long, low chest, on which were various framed photographs, as well as a doorway that she presumed led to either a closet or a bathroom. Lastly, on the western wall, where she had entered from, was an office chair and a long desk with no computer but plenty of papers and books scattered about on top.

She slowly stood from her position on the bed and approached the low chest. Curiosity was getting the best of her; she remembered Seto mentioning pictures of him as a child, and she was beyond interested to see what the CEO looked like as a kid. Now that she knew Seto was indeed okay…perhaps it was time to explore a bit. Kneeling down so that she was at eye level with the photos, she began scanning them. The one on the far left looked pretty recent; it showed Seto and Mokuba standing behind the desk at KaibaCorp, Seto in his purple trenchcoat and Mokuba in his usual school clothes. The next showed Mokuba, who appeared to be a little younger, sitting in his room writing in a notebook, smirking up at the photographer (presumably Seto). The next one again only showed Mokuba, though he was much younger, almost as young as he was in the image in Seto's card locket. He was sitting in a swing, smiling widely and waving at the photographer (again, presumably Seto). She briefly wondered if it had been taken at the orphanage. Her eyes landed on the final image, and she blinked in surprise. _"Jackpot!"_

The final photograph showed both Seto and Mokuba sitting outside the orphanage. It looked cold; they were both wrapped tightly in heavy coats, and a small lining of snow was visible on the steps behind them. But both were smiling. Seto was placing a hat on Mokuba's head, while Mokuba had a snowball in his hand, as if he was getting ready to throw it. Anzu slowly picked up the picture and looked at it closely. Seto's nose was a bit red from the cold, but there was a big smile on his face. Mokuba had his eyes closed, his mouth wide in laughter. _"They look so…innocent."_ Seto's eyes were wide and full of caring for his little brother. His hair looked relatively the same, but something about his demeanor…it was softer. Lighter. She glanced back at Seto, lying asleep on the bed, before returning her attention to the photograph. She couldn't help but smile.

She set the photo back on the shelf and stood. Walking up to the bed once more, she crawled next to Seto and laid down on his free side, away from his wrapped arm, watching his chest rise and fall once again. Placing a light hand on his chest, she could feel his heart beating underneath and smiled warmly. Her hand wandered over to the buttons of his shirt, the top two of which were open, revealing some of his chest underneath. She giggled lightly and snuck her hand underneath, feeling his warm skin. Her hand wandered up to his shoulder, and she gently began caressing the area, remembering how he had flinched when she first touched his shoulder the night he had awoken from a nightmare. Pushing herself up with her other hand, she leaned in and lightly kissed his cheek, giggling even more when he squirmed slightly underneath her. She lifted her hand and glanced down only to freeze.

"_Wha…what is…"_

Underneath the black silk, a white line could be seen running smoothly across his shoulder blade. It was faint, but it was still visible. Certainly not natural; it was too bold to be simple skin tone. Her finger ran across the line, disappearing underneath the black silk. She slowly returned her hand to the tip of the line closest to her. It remained. She lifted her finger. No residue. It was permanent.

It was a scar.

Feeling an arm slowly wrap around her waist, she blinked in surprise and looked up. Seto's blue eyes were wide open. He was staring at her, his eyes taking a brief second to glance down at the position of her hand before returning to her face. She blushed profusely but felt frozen. She couldn't take her hand away, nor could she break her gaze. She simply watched as he glanced down at her hand and swallowed. His eyes revealed his confusion; he didn't know whether to look at her face, at her hand, or away. His eyes wandered, not able to choose a target. He bit his lower lip before finally staring up at her. A sudden sadness filled his eyes, and without words, he told her what…or rather _who_…it came from. It wasn't surgical or just an accident. No…it was malicious. She guessed he had a similar scar on the back of his shoulder. _"It would explain his flinching away from me that night."_ She wondered how many scars he had. The thought made her stomach turn.

"How was practice?"

The question came out of nowhere. She blinked in surprise. He made no move to push her away. In fact, his arm, his good arm, was wrapped firmly around her waist. She couldn't get away even if she wanted to, not without fighting back. "I-It was good," she answered. Somehow their voices were normal volume. Neither looked away from the other. Anzu's fingers curled slightly against his chest, yet still she couldn't tear her hand away from the area where the scar was.

"That's good."

"You…said your presentation went well? On the voicemail?"

Seto nodded. "Yeah, surprisingly well, actually. Everything worked fine."

"That's good to hear. Did you and Mokuba have fun?"

He again nodded. "Yes. We had a good time. It seems people are really interested in the game, and we have some developers regretting that they underestimated us." He smirked. "All in all, I would call that a success."

She smirked in return. Leaning down, she lightly kissed him on the lips, and he returned in kind by wrapping his arm tighter around her, bringing her practically on top of his chest. Her fingers uncurled, and the palm of her hand covered the majority of his scar. The two parted, and Anzu smiled warmly down at him before glancing over at his arm. "So what happened at the presentation with your leg? Are you feeling okay? Why is your cast gone?"

Seto sighed and leaned back slightly into the bed, raising himself against the pillow. Anzu cuddled next to him, keeping her hand in the same position. "I didn't use my cane during the presentation, and I forgot how long those things can last. The pressure of standing for over an hour just wore me out. The doctors say there's no permanent damage, but I'm basically bedridden tonight and have to be cautious tomorrow. As for the cast…" Lifting his wrapped arm, he smirked and said, "I fell after presenting, and my hand started swelling. I was worried I broke it, but again, the doctors say it was only temporary stress rather than permanent damage. They decided to simply take the cast off since the bone is practically healed anyways and wrapped it. They were going to call me tomorrow to schedule an appointment to get it taken off, so… I guess that was ironic timing, on my part. I'm resting it with ice tonight; the swelling should be down by tomorrow."

Anzu sighed heavily and shook her head. Tapping his forehead, she said, "You and your pride…"

He chuckled. "I know, I know. You don't have to tell me; Mokuba already did."

"Well, you deserve it for worrying all of us like that!"

"I didn't mean to," he answered, his voice surprisingly soft. "Trust me, I wouldn't choose to go through that pain again. I thought for sure something was wrong."

Anzu smiled and placed her head against his chest. She slowly took her hand away, placing it instead across his stomach. "All that matters is that you'll be fine," she stated. She felt him grip her tightly as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"And yes, what you saw…that was a scar." Her eyes widened as her heart skipped a beat. She slowly looked up to see him staring down at her, his gaze serious. His good hand released its hold on her, and he brought it up to her face, caressing her cheek lightly. His eyes remained serious, but a sad smile slowly crossed his lips. "One of…several, that I have. They're the reasons for the nightmares. Reasons for who I was back in high school when we first met." His eyes seemed to scan her face for a brief moment before he swallowed. "Four on my chest, two on my back. All from him. I eventually learned to defend myself, but until I got to that point, I was at his mercy. But I couldn't let him hurt Mokuba. I couldn't let him near my little brother. So I took it, and I hid it." She slowly reached up and snuck her hand back underneath his shirt, lightly brushing over the scar. He shuddered slightly but continued looking down at her. "I… I was a victim, but only for a little bit. It began gaining attention, what he was putting me through, and he was forced to stop. The mental abuse didn't go away, but the physical did. Still, I can't… These ugly marks remain."

She leaned up and kissed him. He seemed surprised by the movement, for he stared widely at her, but soon his eyelids closed, and she felt him returning the kiss. She, too, closed her eyes, and her heart fluttered when his good arm swiftly reached down and wrapped around her waist once more, bringing her close. She wrapped her free arm around him, and her hand slowly went up to grasp his shoulder. The warmth of his body, combined with the taste of his soft lips, made her heart skip beats. Her hand continued traveling up, caressing his neck, then his cheek, then—

"Gah!" Both opened their eyes, and Anzu jumped at the feeling of cold against her back. She gasped in shock and glanced down. Seto had wrapped his bad hand around her, forgetting it had just been wrapped in ice. She turned in shock at him only to playfully pout at his devious smirk. "You did that on purpose!" When he said nothing, she obnoxiously planted a kiss against his cheek. "Your hand is still cold, silly!"

"Is it?" He placed it against her again, and she went to squirm away. His good arm, however, was holding her in position. She swiped at his bad hand, afraid of doing damage but wanting to avoid the cold. Yet he kept reaching out for her, even laughing when he managed to touch her face, causing her to fly back onto the bed. She laughed as he slowly crawled over to lie down next to her. She went to move away, and he playfully frowned at her. "I'm done, I promise."

"I don't believe you!"

He scoffed. "Well, at least you're learning…" Grabbing her with his good arm, he brought her slowly over to him, and she smiled widely.

"Don't make me smack your bad arm," she warned, pointing a finger in his face. He smirked and nodded. Anzu slowly lowered her finger before sliding closer to him, placing her hand against his shoulder once more. Sighing, she lightly kissed him before whispering, "I won't tell Mokuba about…the scars."

He slowly nodded. "Thank you… Don't tell anyone, in fact. I don't like talking about them. I don't like them at all. But… If we're going to be together…you should know."

She nodded in understanding. "And just know, Seto, that they aren't ugly. They're proof that you're stronger than the average person. Yeah, you were a jerk in high school, but… That's in the past. You've changed. You're a beautiful person, Seto. Remember, if you start thinking of him, or you have a nightmare about him again, I'm here for you, okay?"

His eyes widened slightly at her words, and a small yet warm smile crossed his lips. "I know. And…thank you, Anzu."

Reaching up with his good hand, he moved a few strands of hair from her face before leaning in and kissing her on the lips. She wrapped both arms around him, bringing him in closer, and she gasped when she felt his warm tongue touch her lips. She smiled warmly as she opened her mouth, feeling his hot tongue begin playing with hers. She opened her eyes slightly to see his were closed. She closed hers once more and began moved her hands up into his hair. Their bodies began creating a friction that sent tingles of pleasure up and down her spine. A warmth spread throughout her body, and she grasped onto his shoulders as he deepened the kiss. She never knew so much passion existed in the CEO.

She gasped for fresh air as he finally broke the kiss. Both their faces were slightly flushed, and both stared longingly at the other. She watched as he closed his eyes and brought her close as if to kiss her again when a sudden knock at the door caught them both off guard.

"Mr. Kaiba, Miss Anzu, dinner will be ready in five minutes." It was Irika. "Shall I bring it up here, or will you be wanting dinner in the dining room?"

Seto sighed heavily and shook his head as Anzu covered her mouth to keep from laughing. "Bring it up here," Seto instructed.

"Yes, sir."

Once Irika's footsteps died away, Anzu giggled. "Guess that's our cue."

"I guess…"

"Here, let me help you." Grabbing his good arm, she brought him back to a sitting position with his head resting against the pillows. She placed the cold towel around his wrist and his leg back on the blankets.

By the time she laid down next to him, a knock at the door echoed, and she watched as Irika pushed in a cart with a tray on top containing tea and okonomiyaki. She set it next to the bed before grabbing two silver trays that could be used as tables. Handing them over, she bowed and said, "Please ring if you need anything."

"Will do," Seto replied. "And thank you, Irika."

She smiled and swiftly left, shutting the door behind her. Anzu chuckled and watched as Seto poured both of them a cup of tea. "I never got to ask…" she noted as she took the cup from his hand. "When did you start drinking tea instead of coffee?"

"After high school. One of the many changes Mokuba and I initiated after I graduated. Tea is much healthier for you than coffee."

She nodded and swiftly approached the cart of food. Cutting each of them a slice of the okonomiyaki and placing them on little saucers, she set their plates on their little trays before sitting back down next to Seto, who was now sitting up in an alert position. Anzu grabbed a pair of chopsticks, smirked, and asked, "So I take it we're not sleeping on the couch anymore?"

His devious smirk returned. "No. I have the distinct impression I'm going to want you to myself quite a bit more. And I can make it up the stairs, even with the pain I was feeling today. There's no use staying down there anymore."

She chuckled. "Well then I'm going to have to check to make sure you aren't hiding anything under the bed. I don't trust you after all your threats."

He rolled his eyes, yet the smirk remained. "I'll make sure to kill all the monsters under the bed for you."

"And I'll make sure to kill all the monsters in your nightmares."

His smirk slowly turned to a smile. Lifting his cup, he looked at her and whispered, "You already do."


	35. 35 : A Daring Rescue

Chapter 35 : A Daring Rescue

Clicking his briefcase closed, Seto sighed heavily and leaned forward, placing his forearms on the desk. _"Why are Mondays always the hardest to get through? Oh, right, because Sundays are so fucking relaxing in comparison."_ He closed his eyes and clasped the bridge of his nose before glancing over at the clock. _"Already nine…shit, I stayed later than I wanted to. No wonder it's already dark outside."_

He quickly stood from his seat and glanced back at the view of the city. Underneath him, the lights of the city sparkled, and the sounds of the nightlife floated up to his ears. He had a mild sense of déjà vu of the night when he had his accident. Glancing down at his arm, he smirked at the lack of a cast. He clenched and unclenched his hand. Something so simple… It felt good to be able to eat and write with his normal hand again.

Turning, he grabbed his cane and briefcase and slowly approached the exit of his office. _"Soon, I'll be rid of this cane. Then I can be done with this mess."_ Flicking the lights off, he made his way down the empty hallway, passing by his secretary's empty desk, and soon entered the elevator. Pressing the Lobby button, he leaned against the wall of the compartment and pulled out his cell phone. There were two messages, one from Mokuba and one from Anzu. _"Mokuba no doubt called to tell me to come home. But what did Anzu want?"_ Clicking one of the buttons and holding the phone up to his ear, he waited for the voicemail to go through.

"Hey Seto, it's just me," he heard Anzu say through the message. "Wanted to let you know that I might be a little late coming home tonight. Ayame and I are going to talk to Natsumi about this week's schedule; it's ridiculous, to say the least. I'll let'cha know all about it when I get home. Take care."

He nodded and waited for Mokuba's message to come through. "Seto, don't know if you noticed, but it's past seven o' clock, and you're still not home. Don't tell me you're going back to working your butt off! Come home!"

He scoffed and shook his head. _"Yep, he's going to be pissed."_ Closing his phone, he slipped it into the inside pocket of his trenchcoat. The elevator came to a halt, and he made his way through the empty lobby and into the back parking lot, where Roland was waiting for him.

"Mr. Kaiba," Roland greeted, opening the back door of the sleek, black car. Seto nodded and took his seat in the car, setting his briefcase and cane next to him. Roland slammed the car door shut before taking his position in the driver's seat. "To the manor, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Yes." The car came to life underneath him, and Seto watched out the window as they came out of the parking lot and into the street. Sighing, he leaned back and let his head roll to the side, taking in the passing scenery. He suddenly remembered the night he had the accident and smirked. _"The chain of events that incident set in motion… Without that accident, none of this, my life now, would be happening. Jounouchi calling yesterday to check on my leg as a gesture of goodwill, Yugi being a total idiot, and Anzu…"_ His hand went up to his shoulder, and the slightest trace of a smile tugged at his lips as he remembered her words. _"Anzu…you chose to stay with me."_

He was afraid, upon moving upstairs, that she would take the gesture as a sign to leave. After all, neither one had brought up the idea of her finding a new apartment since Seto got his cane, and his moving upstairs made her caretaker status obsolete. Yet both Saturday and Sunday nights, she had slept in his bed with him. They still had yet to have sex, but things were quickly getting intimate. With each passing night, it seemed, Seto was becoming more attached to her. It was last night, however, when she brought her bag of clothes to his room, that Seto realized she was there at the manor to stay. She was not looking for a new apartment; she told him so herself. She admitted it was due to a lack of money, but when Seto offered, albeit hesitantly, she shook her head and responded with, "Nope, my new bed wouldn't kiss me back."

And he had been sure to kiss her back. He wanted her to know that he was grateful for her, and while he was bad with express his emotions through words, she didn't seem to mind the butterfly kisses along her neck or the protective embraces. He sure didn't mind dishing them out, either. She was bringing out a passionate side of him that he would have scoffed at a month ago.

"Mr. Kaiba, is that…Yugi Motou?"

Snapping out of his trance, Seto realized they were stopped at a red light. In front of them was a low bridge, while the street perpendicular to theirs trailed along a small walkway leading down to the river. There were no cars or people around, as the bridge led into the nicer part of Domino City, but sure enough, walking along the sidewalk was none other than Yugi Motou. Seto swore one could see the boy's hair from outer space. "It is," he answered. The light turned green, and Seto made a hasty decision. "Pull over. I don't trust this."

"Yes, sir."

Roland veered right and parked in a nearby parking spot. Grabbing his cane, Seto stepped out of the car and crossed the street. Fortunately there was no one around. By the time he crossed over and was making his way down the sidewalk, tracing Yugi's pathway, he realized that Yugi had stopped and was now staring out into the shallow river below. He was about halfway across the bridge. "Yugi."

He watched as Yugi turned in shock to look at him. "Kaiba…? What are you doing here?"

"I might very well ask you the same."

Yugi scoffed. "You don't own me, Kaiba. I can go where I want."

"I never said that. I just…what are you doing?" Yugi had reached forward and placed his hands on the railing. Seto's eyes widened. _"No…he wouldn't…"_

"Kaiba, you have no idea what I'm doing or feeling right now!" Yugi shouted back. He shot Seto a deadly glare. "How would you feel if the one you loved for _years_ went off with your rival, huh?! How would that make you feel?! That _he_ was right, that I was never good enough! That all this… That everything I knew is going to be proven wrong! What are you even doing here?!"

"_What is he talking about?"_ thought Seto. "Yugi, I don't know what you're doing, but I—"

"I know you saw me at Takaichi's," Yugi interrupted. "Quite frankly, I don't know why you let me just sit there and watch the two of you. You probably thought it was amusing, knowing that it hurt me."

"Stop being so dramatic, Yugi. It was because I didn't want to cause a scene, and besides, it would have upset Anzu."

"Oh, like you ever cared about upsetting Anzu all those years ago!" Yugi's eyes clenched shut, and he turned his head away. "All you used to do was bash our group, Kaiba. You called us every name in the book, Anzu included! You never helped us except when the situation affected you, you totally disregarded others for your own sake…you were a heartless bastard, Kaiba! I don't understand why Yami or anyone trusted or still trusts you!"

Seto's eyes widened, and he sighed heavily as he turned to look out at the river. The sky was populated with stars, all of which seemed to sparkle and reflect in the water below. "Yeah, I was like that," he answered. "I won't even deny it. But you have to understand that people change, Yugi. I would do _anything_ for Anzu."

"Even protect me?"

"Protect-?" Seto returned his gaze to Yugi only to gasp in surprise. Yugi was now on the other side of the railing, his hands still clenching the railing tightly. "Yugi, what the hell are you doing!?"

"Anzu doesn't care about me anymore!" Yugi shouted. "Grandpa's going to be gone soon, Anzu is with you all the time now, Yami abandoned me… I'm all alone, Kaiba. I have nobody!"

"That's bullshit, Yugi, and you know it!" he shouted back as he took a step forward. "I don't know what the situation with your grandfather is, but Anzu is worried sick about you! For some reason, she still considers you a friend, yet you're the one who keeps pushing her away. Jounouchi's just trying to get through your thick skull so that he doesn't have to worry about you anymore. Everyone still wants to be your friend, but you keep backing off." He couldn't believe _he_ was now the one preaching friendship to Yugi. _"I have no idea what is going through his spikey head, but if he dies…Anzu..."_

"You have no idea what it's like to feel so alone, Kaiba!"

"Really? You think _I_ don't know what loneliness is like? Try again, Yugi."

"You've never… Mokuba never abandoned you… Someone who you consider your other half never left you…"

And that's when it clicked. This whole thing… All the names he called Anzu, the seemingly random call he made to Seto, the overreactions at every turn… "This doesn't have to do with Anzu or me. This has to do with Yami, or whoever it was you claimed was inside that Millennium Puzzle. You're alone because he left you, and now you feel you have nobody. You don't like watching everyone move on because you're frozen in time."

He watched Yugi sigh heavily and shake his head. "Yami always said…that you were a good person deep down, Kaiba. That he could sense somewhere inside of you a good soul, that it was merely hidden under years of abuse." Seto's eyes widened; where the _hell_ had Yami learned that? "But he told me…he also told me that Anzu didn't like me the way I liked her. He said we were only friends, that we would remain friends for eternity, that I would end up with someone else. He knew I loved her in high school…and he knew we would never be together. He even gave me the Millennium Necklace to prove it to me, to show me a vision of who she would end up with. I traveled to the future, and I saw… I saw an image. A vision of Anzu and you. Together, cuddling. She was pregnant, and you…you were so protective of her. So happy. I couldn't believe what I was seeing."

Seto's eyes widened. _"What…?"_

"You changed the predictions of the Millennium Necklace once, Kaiba. When you dueled Ishizu on top of your blimp during Battle City, you changed your own fate. I thought… I thought I might do the same. But I was wrong. Anzu did fall for you. I saw it with my own eyes at Takaichi's. All this time, I clung to some hope that we would be together, but the Necklace was right. You two are in love. I saw that. When Yami left, he told me not to do this, not to hold on to her. He told me I had to find someone else, or I'd…I'd be where I am standing right now." Chuckling coldly, he added, "And _you're_ standing where you are now, too. Everything he predicted…it's all come true."

"Yugi… If you care so much about what Yami told you, then why are you standing there?"

"Because, Kaiba, nobody gives a damn about me anymore!" Yugi sighed again, and his shoulders sagged. "No one gives a damn…"

"Anzu gives a damn. Jounouchi gives a damn. I'm sure Honda and Otogi and the others all give a damn, too. Look, just because Yami isn't here anymore doesn't mean your life is gone. You had a life before the Millennium Puzzle." He noticed tears falling down Yugi's cheeks. Was he getting through to the idiot? "If you just apologized to Anzu for what you said, I'm sure she would take you back as a friend."

"I…"

"You will never be with her. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to stand here and lie to you on that one. However, if you die here tonight, you'll make her cry. And I'll have to follow you personally all the way to Hell just to punch you for that."

Yugi slowly looked over at him. "Just for making her cry?"

Seto clenched his fists. "I wouldn't consider Anzu crying as something to take lightly. In fact, I would take every measure necessary to figure out what it was that made her cry and have the person responsible realize what a mistake he made."

A moment of silence passed between them before he asked, "You…really love her, don't you?"

Seto inhaled and slowly nodded his head. "Yes…" He still wasn't sure if it was love he felt for her, but he knew he would go through Hell and back again for her. He would do whatever it took to make her happy. And while he honestly didn't care about Yugi's problems, he knew if Yugi died right now, Anzu would never forgive herself. She would be miserable, full of guilt and suffering. And he would _never_ let her feel that way.

Then, Yugi did something that surprised him. He chuckled, and this time, it was a light chuckle. "You know, there's this girl, Saka. The military girl who came home, the one who Anzu's dance is based on. I saw her in my vision too. She and I…we apparently bonded over our hurt conditions. I was getting ready to propose to her in the vision I saw of…of you and Anzu. All this time, I've been thinking of only being with Anzu, but…hearing you say you really love her…that you've changed and care about others…perhaps I really was wrong. Perhaps Yami was right about you…perhaps he was right about everything. No, he _was _right about everything. I can hear him, even after all these years, telling me not to do this. He…he wouldn't want me to die, would he?" Seto shook his head no. The tears were still flowing, but Yugi was smiling now. "Kaiba, do you really think Anzu will forgive me?"

"If she's forgiven me for everything you listed, I think she'll forgive you for a few harsh words." Yes, he was getting through with the moron. _Finally._

Yugi nodded. "Perhaps…perhaps I'll make the attempt at...at restarting after all. It's what Yami would have wanted." He moved his hand out to turn himself around—

-and slipped.

"YUGI!" Forgetting his cane, Seto rushed forward and went to swipe at Yugi, but it was too late. He watched in horror as Yugi began falling. _"SHIT! That IDIOT!"_ He swiftly returned across the bridge and made a sharp right, hugging the side of the bridge. He began climbing down the small stairwell built along the side of the pillar. He could hear Yugi land in the water and nearly tripped the rest of the way down.

"Kaiba, help!"

"_NOW he asks for help!" _Taking off his trenchcoat, as he knew it would be extra weight, he finally reached the bottom of the stairs and rushed towards the water. Making a dive for it, he felt the cold water hit his body full force and shuddered all over. The water immediately went up his nose, and he could feel his stomach turn. His eyes began to burn. The water was deep enough to make him fearful for Yugi's life. It was cold, and Seto had to fight against the tide with a hurt leg and a stiff wrist. Rising above the water, he glanced around and saw Yugi gasping for air. He dove underwater once more and kicked with all his might, ignoring the pain that was now inflaming his leg. Reaching Yugi, he rose for air and grabbed Yugi's arm. It didn't seem Yugi could swim, as he flailed his arms around like a maniac, even going so far as to push Seto underwater once. "Stop freaking out, or you'll drown us both!" he shouted once he resurfaced. "Here, grab my arm, then start kicking towards the stairwell!"

"R-R-Right!" Yugi did as he was told, and Seto kicked with his good leg. It was rough going, and Seto swallowed more than his fair share of water, but they soon made it back to the stairwell. Seto made sure Yugi was up and out of the water before reaching up and placing both his forearms onto the cement. Crawling onto the landing, he glanced over to see Yugi breathing heavily. A small bruise was forming on his cheek, perhaps from hitting the water so hard, but otherwise he looked fine. Seto sighed in relief and rolled onto his back, taking in a large breath of air and slowly exhaling.

His leg was on fire. It felt like every nerve was being shot. Feeling water come back up, he rolled over and coughed up a mouthful of water before panting heavily. "Yugi, get Roland to…to help me up…" he instructed.

"Y-Yeah, o-of course!" He watched as Yugi left him alone, and he closed his eyes and sighed. The adrenaline mixed with the pain made his mind feel numb, and upon opening his eyes, he realized his vision was slightly blurred. He shivered at the slight breeze and gasped in pain as he went to move his leg. He suddenly heard a strange noise and scowled when he realized his phone was going off in his trenchcoat pocket. He slowly went to push himself up, but a wave of nausea hit him, and he fell back to the ground. He listened as the sound of footsteps became louder, and as Roland appeared above him, he heard the phone stop, followed by Yugi saying, "Anzu?!"

"_Anzu!"_ "Yugi!" he called back, grabbing onto Roland's arm for support. Standing, he closed his eyes and swallowed the vomit back. Inhaling a large breath of air, he glanced over and saw Yugi standing with Seto's cell phone in his hand. He realized Yugi was waiting for him, and he could hear Anzu shouting through the phone. He sighed and shook his head. "Tell Anzu that we're both going to be at the manor in about five minutes, and tell her to tell Irika to have enough pain killers to fund a hospital ready for me."


	36. 36 : Aftermath

Chapter 36 : Aftermath

Even with all his pain medication, his head still pounded. He groaned and placed his head in his hand. "Mokuba, can you tell whoever is using the jackhammer against my skull to knock it off?"

"Just relax, Seto," Mokuba scolded. "You've had a long night."

"_Yeah, and it has yet to end."_ Letting his hand fall to his lap, he took a sip of the hot tea laced with honey and glanced up at the main foyer. Yugi and Anzu were in the dining room talking, while he and Mokuba were sitting in the main living room. Their usual platter of tea, along with three bottles of pain medication, was set on the glass coffee table, and Mokuba had done Seto a favor by plugging in his favorite ambient CD, filling the room with some background noise that seemed to be helping Seto's headache. He shifted slightly in the recliner. His legs were propped up, and Seto could feel the leg throbbing, even though the pain medication was keeping him from feeling the full toll of his exertion. He had taken off his trenchcoat, shoes, and belt buckles in order to lighten the load on his body, and it made him feel like he could sink into the recliner. He still felt disgusting from his dive into the river, but he wanted to wait and make sure Anzu was okay before going upstairs.

"What…do you think they're talking about?" Mokuba asked, glancing over his cup of tea at his brother. He was sitting on the sofa, a NintendoDS in his spare hand.

"Probably about how Yugi has been a total prick to her when Yami told him years ago to knock it off." Even he was surprised by the harshness of his tone of voice. He was so exhausted…he just wanted to go to bed. The clock on the wall read that it was nearing eleven thirty, but it felt like three in the morning.

"Seto…"

He sighed and leaned back into the chair. "I know… I'm trying, Mokuba. I'm trying to be patient." It was so much to take in. He didn't know what to make of what happened. Half of him told him to not even bother trying to figure it out. It was Yugi's problem, at the end of the day. All Seto cared about was the fact that he seemed to want to make amends. The spikey-haired duelist apologized for everything and then some the whole ride back to the manor, then broke down in tears in the main foyer upon seeing Anzu. Emotions were high for everyone, and Seto wasn't good with emotions. Now he was dealing with them with his rival, his girlfriend, his brother, a massive headache, and three bottles of medication.

And he wondered why his patience was wearing thin.

"You planning to go into work tomorrow?"

Seto shrugged. "Depends on how I feel when I wake up."

"I'd give your leg a rest, if I were you."

"We'll see…" He had already missed enough work as it was, but if his leg was aching even with medication, he couldn't imagine how stiff he was going to be tomorrow morning. He slowly closed his eyes. He didn't want to think right now. He just wanted to sleep. He listened as Mokuba set his cup of tea down on the coffee table and peeked over to watch his brother lie down on the sofa. A _meow_ echoed in the distance, and he smirked and turned to see Yuki approach his seat. She jumped up and crawled into his lap, placing her paws on his chest before resting. He chuckled and scratched behind her ears, listening to her soft purring. He then closed his eyes once more, listening to the ambient music pouring out of the speakers.

He nearly fell asleep, but the sound of footsteps soon caught his attention, and he glanced up to see both Anzu and Yugi approach the entrance to the living room. For a long moment, no one said a word. Everyone just stared at each other. Seto looked primarily at Anzu. She looked tired, but there was a smile on her face. _"That's all that matters."_

"Everything okay?" Mokuba asked.

Yugi and Anzu nodded. "Everything's okay," Anzu answered. "We're going to talk a bit more in the future about it, but everyone's tired right now. We all need some rest."

Seto could not help but agree with her. He watched as Yugi slowly walked towards him and nodded. "Kaiba, I… I just want to thank you…for saving me and giving me this second chance."

Seto waved his hand to brush off the comment. Making sure his tone was mild, he said, "Just don't get it in your head to pull that stunt again. I can't be around all the time to save you."

"I understand. I won't. I… I gotta make sure Yami is proud of me."

"_Whatever it takes to convince you to stop being a dumbass."_ He watched Yugi turn and leave through the main foyer. The sound of the front door opening and closing reached his ears, and he sighed heavily once he knew the three of them were indeed alone. Mokuba pushed himself up off the sofa and turned to face Seto.

"Do you need help getting upstairs, Seto?"

"I'll help him up," Anzu stated before Seto could answer. Mokuba nodded and smiled.

"Okay. I'm going to head to bed, then. Good night, you two. And think about taking off tomorrow, Seto."

Seto nodded, and the two watched as Mokuba walked through the main foyer. He listened to his brother's footsteps as he climbed up the stairs and walked down the hallway. Soon the footsteps faded away, and all that he could hear was the music and Yuki's purring. Anzu smiled warmly and swiftly approached him. She leaned down and placed a light kiss against his forehead. "Thank you so much for rescuing him," she whispered, moving a few bangs aside.

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it."

"I think it was the wake-up call he needed, at any rate. He seems like the old Yugi again…the one before Yami left. I can see it again, at any rate. It'll take some time, but I think he'll be okay."

"How are you feeling?" he asked. "Did he apologize to you?"

She chuckled. "Only about a million times. I told him he had nine hundred million more apologies to go, but I think he knows I was jesting with him. Still, I told him to call Jounouchi and the others tonight. We're all going to get together tomorrow to discuss what happened so that we're all on the same page."

He nodded in understanding. _"Finally, an end to this headache."_

"Now it's my turn to ask. How are _you_ feeling?"

"Tired." He slowly pushed himself up, smirking when Yuki jumped back in surprise.

"You want to go upstairs?"

"Yeah. I need a really hot bath."

Anzu chuckled. She walked over to the speakers, and Seto watched as she turned the music off before returning to his side. Reaching around and underneath his arms, she snaked her own arm around his torso, helping him stand. He felt like dead weight and did his best to support himself. "Where is my cane?"

"Over there. I'll come back to get it."

He shook his head. "Let me have it. I don't want—"

"You're not a burden, Seto. Now come on."

He sighed in defeat. The two managed to make their way to the stairwell, and Seto used the banister in order to reach the second floor. Making it to the top, he took a moment to catch his breath before they continued down the hallway, turning right and walking to the entrance of his bedroom. Anzu opened the door for him, and he practically lunged forward onto the bed, sighing heavily at the sensation of the covers.

"Want me to start up the hot water, Seto?"

He shook his head. While lying on the bed sounded heavenly, he needed a bath after that dive into the river. Pushing himself up, he muttered, "No, I'll get it. If I don't, I'll fall asleep right here." She nodded and again assisted him to his private bathroom. He grabbed onto the countertop for support, and she swiftly let him go before reaching up to kiss his cheek. He smiled.

"I'll go get your things," she whispered. She first, however, walked over to the tub, which lined the eastern wall, and turned the hot water on. She smirked at his expression of surprise before turning and sauntering back into the bedroom, closing the door shut behind her in the process. He sighed heavily and slid out of his black shirt and pants. His boxers were the last to go, and he carefully used the counter, which took up nearly the whole northern wall with its spacious cupboards and long mirror above, to reach the bath tub. He lifted and dipped his feet one at a time in, sighing in utter relief at the sensation of the hot water. Grabbing a nearby bottle of vanilla-scented bubble bath, he poured two cups in and slowly mixed it with the water, creating a bubbly film. The smell filled his nose, and he smiled as he leaned back against the adjacent wall.

The knock at the door startled him, and he quickly sat upright. "It's me," Anzu called back. "I have your pajamas."

"Okay." He swiftly pulled the curtain halfway across, covering his lower section, and crossed his arms, placing them on the thick rim of the tub. His smile widened when she entered, and he watched as she set his pjs onto the counter. She smiled back and approached the tub, taking her seat next to it. Placing a hand on his arms, she smiled widely and leaned forward to lightly kiss his cheek again.

"So you and Yugi are fine now?" he asked, blushing slightly at the kiss.

"For now," she answered. "I don't know, it's a lot to take in. He told me how Yami warned him of all this and how the news of us eventually being together just tore him up. He thought you were the same person you were in high school, but after you rescued him… I think it woke him up. He saw that you have changed."

Seto scoffed. "Did he really think I would just let him drown?"

"I don't know, but it changed his mind about you. I don't think he's happy for us, yet he seems to want forgiveness."

Seto nodded in understanding. "So…now what?"

"Now I'm just going to wait until tomorrow and see what happens."

He again nodded. Reaching over, he turned the water faucet off, and the room filled with a heavy silence. He leaned back into the water and sighed heavily. "I'm just going to lie here for a bit," Seto stated. He turned his head and smirked over at her. "If you want to go to bed, that's fine."

She chuckled and dipped the tips of her fingers into the water. "I'm honestly kind of worried you're going to fall asleep and drown in here. You look so tired."

"Yeah, well, it's not every day I save an idiot from killing himself."

She giggled and lifted her hand. A few bubbles remained on her fingertips, and she laughed before reaching forward to tap Seto's face. He went to dodge, but she managed to get the bubbles in his hair. He growled playfully and flicked a few drops of water at her. She cried out in surprise and fell backwards, landing on her butt. She jumped back up and placed her hands on her hips. "Well _someone_ doesn't want my company!"

He laughed at her gesture and shook his head before patting the rim of the tub. She smiled, rolled her eyes, but did retake her seat. Dipping her fingers into the water once more, she began running a hand through his hair, placing several wet strands behind his ear. "You're going to put me to sleep if you keep doing that," he warned, feeling his eyelids automatically get heavy.

"Then I'll just have to wake you up."

He smirked and shook his head. "I have a better idea. You sit here and keep me awake."

"And how am I supposed to do that when I want to run my hand through your soft hair?"

His smirk widened. "What's the deal with Natsumi?"

It took every ounce of willpower to keep from bursting out laughing as Anzu's eyes flared open. "Oh, that bitch!" she exclaimed. Seto could only watch in amusement as she ranted and raved for nearly fifteen minutes about Natsumi's scheduling plans (and how the rest of the girls flat-out refused to follow it). It reminded him of her gamer rage whenever she died playing games.

"_She's so cute when she's angry."_ He was too tired to argue with himself on that point. It was true, after all. But soon she calmed down, and he said it was time to get out, as the water was starting to get cold. He waited until she left before getting up and turning the drain on. He dried himself off as quickly as possible, feeling the tension of today weighing upon him, threatening to have him fall asleep at any second. He put on his clothes, only doing a few of the buttons on his pajama shirt, and limped his way back into the bedroom and to his bed, where Anzu was already lying and waiting for him. He crawled onto the bed and lied down next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and planting a light kiss on her lips.

"Good night, Seto," she whispered. She began playing with his slightly wet hair again, and he brought himself closer to her, placing his head against her shoulder. He loved having her next to him, her soft caresses, her caring tone of voice. Yugi was right. He loved her. He never wanted her to leave him. Ever. "Thanks again for everything today. Get some rest, okay?"

He nodded, closed his eyes, and immediately fell asleep.


	37. 37 : The Night Before The Big Day

Chapter 37 : The Night Before The Big Day

"Okay, girls, gather around!"

Anzu placed her bottle of water on the floor and sauntered over to Natsumi and the other dancers. Beads of sweat rolled down her face, and she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand. "Tomorrow is the big day, the day we've been preparing for this entire year!" Natsumi began. "Get some rest tonight, and be sure to arrive at the theater by 3:00 tomorrow afternoon. We'll do some slow warm-ups, get prepared, run through any last minute changes, then…perform!"

The dancers clapped and cheered in unison, and Anzu's smile widened considerably. She felt someone pat her shoulder and glanced back to see Ayame smiling widely. _"Every year we have drama, but at the end of the day, we all come together and put on a fantastic show,"_ Anzu thought.

"For the last time this year, now. Girls, dismissed."

They all bowed slightly before returning to their bags. Ayame trailed behind Anzu, her bag already slung over her shoulder. Anzu could tell her friend wanted to ask her something, and as she leaned down to grab her own bag, she glanced up and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" Ayame replied in a taunting voice. "I was just curious when you started seeing the CEO of KaibaCorp…"

Anzu blushed. It was no longer a secret that she and Seto were dating. They had gone out on another rainy night to get something to eat, and a member of the paparazzi blatantly caught them. For nearly four days, it was all over the news. People wanted to know who Anzu was, what she was doing with Seto Kaiba, where they had met, what they did in their spare time. Her connection to Yugi didn't help at all. Some of the things they said about her made her skin crawl, but she was swiftly learning to brush it aside, just as Seto did. It was something he had warned her about, and though it did hurt, it was a small price to pay to be with the CEO.

All that mattered to her was that her friends respected and accepted her decision. And they did. The meeting with the gang was a productive one. Otogi, Honda, Shizuka, Jounouchi, Yugi, and she all discussed the past two months' events. She was shocked to discover that Jounouchi already knew she was dating Seto, but Otogi, Honda, and Shizuka's shock at the news was more than enough. Yugi explained in detail his crimes against her, and he profusely apologized again and again for everything he said. Otogi, Honda, and Jounouchi agreed to keep an eye on Yugi from now on, but everyone, for the most part, accepted her decision and was happy for her. She invited them all to the recital tomorrow, and while it made her a little nervous knowing that her group would be with Seto and Mokuba Kaiba, she was also extremely grateful that the two groups could be brought together under peaceful circumstances.

Still, the tabloids were relentless. Anzu had photos taken of her on her way to dance, and her entire ballet career was now published for all the world to see. She knew the ballet troupe would eventually learn of her actions, and Ayame was now the one making the first move. "Not that I'm one of those who would hate on you for dating him," Ayame continued when Anzu didn't respond. "In fact, I'm happy for you two. The one good picture I saw in the tabloids made it seem as though you two were happy together. I don't understand you dating a workaholic, but it's your decision."

Anzu smirked and nodded. "He can be a pain sometimes, but so can I," she remarked, standing and slinging her bag over her shoulder. Ayame's smirk widened.

"That you can be…"

The two exited the dance studio and walked down the narrow corridor. "Is he going to be at the performance tomorrow?" Ayame suddenly asked.

"Seto?"

"Awwww, you call him by his first name! That's so cute! But yeah, haha, Kaiba!"

"Of course," Anzu answered, blushing at her friend's words. "He as well as my gang of friends. They'll all be there."

"That's so sweet!"

Anzu laughed. "Yeah, it really is."

"You two go on any dates yet?"

"A few. We mostly spend time at the manor in order to avoid all the paparazzi."

"Have you two…done anything yet?"

Anzu blushed profusely. "I don't see how that's your business…" Her eyes widened at her response. _"Holy shit, that was a Seto Kaiba response. Don't tell me I'm picking up his mannerisms!"_

"So you _have_ been doing stuff, then? No need to get defensive about it if you aren't, Anzu."

Anzu's blush deepened. "Oh Ayame, why do you ask me things like that? I don't go asking if your boyfriend is having sex with you."

"That's because my boyfriend isn't Seto Kaiba, and because you're too prude to ask such questions."

"There's a reason for that…"

"Well I'm not prude. I'm curious."

"_Too_ curious, if you ask me."

The two came out into the main lobby of the dance studio. Anzu turned to look at her friend, and Ayame returned the glance. Both chuckled at their conversation, and Ayame's smirk turned into a smile. "But no, I won't pester you about it if you don't want me prying. The other girls might; I know a few of them were whispering the other day about seeing your name in the tabloids. But I am happy for you, girlfriend. You caught yourself a good one. Be sure to never let him go, a'ight?"

Anzu smiled and rolled her eyes. "You don't have to tell me that."

"Yes, I do. Now I gotta go. See you tomorrow."

Anzu nodded and followed her outside. Splitting away at the entrance, she approached her car and opened the door to the driver's seat, sliding onto the beat-up leather. Seto kept insisting she should let him buy her a new car, but she flat out refused. She was not going to rely on his money for those types of things, and even though he wanted to buy her a new car, he seemed grateful for her determined attitude. She was certainly not one to be involved with him for money, and the refusal of his gesture seemed to strike him. Setting her bag down in the passenger's seat, she closed the driver's door shut before returning to her bag and dishing out her cell phone. _"No messages,"_ she observed. Setting it down in the compartment meant for drinks, she started her car up, backed out, and began making her way to her new home, the Kaiba manor.

It didn't take long for her to reach the manor. Pulling down the long driveway, she parked her car at the end, grabbed her bag, and quickly got out. The main foyer lights were still on, but for the most part, the windows of the Kaiba manor were dark. The stars overhead illuminated the clear, night sky. For a second, she peeked back down the driveway and smiled. _"This is my home now…"_ It was still sinking in, the idea that she was living with Seto Kaiba. It was one thing to be his caretaker, but once she made the decision to give up looking for an apartment…it was a lot to take in. _"Though the sensation of his arms around me at night sure helps with convincing me to stay."_ She giggled, wrapping her own arms around her waist for a few seconds in a mocking gesture of the original sensation, before turning and making her way inside the manor.

The main foyer was empty, as she expected. Setting her bag next to the stairwell, she walked past the main living room and down the familiar hallway towards the game room. She knew Seto would be there. It had become their new tradition, playing video games when she came home from dance practice. Their own little bonding ritual.

Making her way to the end of the hallway, she peeked around the corner and chuckled at the sight before her. Seto was sitting on the sofa playing _Phantasy Star Online_ by what she could hear and see on the television screen. The cane stood next to the sofa, but he now needed it very little. _"His leg is doing so much better than before,"_ she thought. _"He's now walking almost normally and is able to stand on his own. His wrist, too. His wrist is entirely—"_

"Ah!"

A softness brushed against her leg, and she jumped in surprise as Yuki stopped and glanced up at her. Hearing a chuckle, she looked up to see Seto smiling over at her. "H-Hey," she greeted, shooting a slight glare down at the cat for giving away her position before approaching her boyfriend. Taking a seat next to him on the sofa, she looked at the television and asked, "How far are you?"

"Not very," he answered. "I just started playing about a half hour ago and only managed to get one quest done."

"How was work?"

"Productive. Mokuba and I have the cover and manual complete for the game. It's all but done."

"And it ships when?"

"Three weeks from tomorrow."

She smiled widely. "We'll have to do something to celebrate…"

"I suppose. But first…" Placing his controller down, he turned and wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer. She smiled and leaned up to kiss him on the lips, which he returned with equal fervor. Her eyes widened, however, when she felt him lift her, bringing her onto his lap. She grinned and winked down at him. He smirked and leaned in to quickly kiss her neck. "You excited about tomorrow?" he asked, leaning back slightly but letting his hands trail up her back.

"Of course," she answered, letting her head rest against his shoulder. His grip tightened around her, and his fingers were slowing working along the muscles, easing the tension from her back.

"Nervous?"

"A little."

"Don't be. You'll do well."

She chuckled and nodded. "I hope so."

"You will. You have been practicing this routine for nearly a year. Unless you wake up with amnesia, you will be fine."

It was the CEO's rational way of comforting her nerves. She smiled. He still didn't do well with emotions. She could tell, at times, it was hard for him to express what it was he was feeling. Most of the time, he would merely stare at her, or move to say something only to turn and flee at the last second. He was trying, though. She could see it in his eyes and motions. Particularly his motions; he was so attentive to her. He was pushing through years of training against the exact thing they were now doing. She had seen all the scars by now; she didn't know what caused them, but she knew the motives behind them. It was why he always struggled telling her what he was feeling. _"But it makes the moments like these more important,"_ she thought, feeling his grip continue to tighten around her waist. She reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes as she placed her head back against his shoulder.

"Did you take your shower yet?" she asked.

"No, not yet."

"You should do that."

"Why? Do I smell awful?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "No, but I'm probably going to just go to bed tonight. I'm too exhausted to play games tonight."

"Oh really?" She opened her eyes and glanced curiously up at the CEO. He had a devious smirk on his lips, and his eyes examined her face with a peculiar stare. He leaned in and kissed her neck once more, and she gasped as his tongue began lapping at the skin. Her fingers began entangling themselves in his soft, brown hair, and she giggled when his tongue lapped over a particularly sensitive spot.

"You're showering me with attention again," she taunted. Attention was the way he showed his love. She had yet to hear the CEO mutter that word, but she knew it was there. The way his eyes softened when he saw her, the delicate kisses and caresses… He was bad with words, they both knew it, and she had avoided the word in order to keep the peace. But what they had was love. There was no doubt about it. She loved Seto, loved him with all her heart. Yet because neither could say it, they left it to actions.

"And you're enjoying it," Seto taunted back, running his hands up and down her back once more.

"I never said I…ah…" His kisses went down to her shoulder, and he was beginning to peel down the sleeves of her ballet attire. His warm breath against her skin sent shivers down her spine. "Sh-shouldn't we go upstairs?" she whispered into his ear.

He sighed in disappointment and backed away from her, replacing her sleeve where it was. She smirked and shook her head. "I didn't say we had to stop," she corrected. He blinked in surprise. Her smirk widened, and she returned the kiss against the CEO's neck, feeling his pulse underneath. Whispering, she added, "I just asked if we shouldn't go upstairs?"

"I thought you didn't want any games?" he whispered huskily in her ear.

She glanced up to see him staring lustily down at her. Her heart skipped a beat. For a moment, neither one spoke. They just stared at each other. _"Still bad with words..." _

She leaned up and kissed him firmly on the lips. It was all the permission he needed.

* * *

The moonlight shone in through the large window down onto their bed. Anzu listened to the CEO's heavy breathing. Wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, she smiled and glanced over at Seto, who appeared to have fallen asleep. His eyelids were closed, and a few bangs hung in front of his face. The scar along his shoulder was visible, and she rolled over, pressing her naked body to his. Her finger began tracing along the line, and she smiled warmly as she closed her eyes, snuggling ever closer to him. He shifted slightly, and she watched as he opened his eyes to mere slits.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

"Nothing…" she whispered back. "Absolutely nothing." Everything was fine. Beautiful. Just like him...

"It's late. You should be asleep."

"I know…"

"You sure everything's okay?"

"I know everything is okay."

She listened to him smirk and felt him bring her close. "Go to sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."

She chuckled and thought, _"I love you, too, Seto."_ Closing her eyes, she soon fell asleep.


	38. 38 : Her Night

Chapter 38 : Her Night  


"Three cheers for Anzu, and a thanks to Kaiba for hosting this party! Ganbei!"

The sound of glasses clinking filled the living room, and Seto leaned back into the loveseat as he took a sip of the sake. Anzu was sitting next to him smiling widely, while the rest of the gang and some of her friends from the dance group sat on the various couches and chairs. The light overhead illuminated the room, while outside, he could see the bright, night sky, the stars glistening off the distant pool. A sigh of content spread throughout the room as everyone sipped at their drinks. Wrapping his arm around Anzu to bring her slightly closer, Seto leaned in and whispered, "You were wonderful."

She blushed and smiled up at him, and he smiled in return. Her performance had been spectacular; whether it was because of the dance itself or the lead dancer, he found that the recital flew by. He saw entranced, captivated by her movements. The dance had been a resounding success, and it was Mokuba's idea to host a party for her afterwards at the manor. Now, for the first time in years, the Kaiba Manor was full of guests, all Anzu's friends and companions.

He smirked as he glanced around the room at all the guests, most of whom were standing and mingling with one another. If nothing else, it was entertaining. Mokuba, Anzu, and even Irika seemed happy about the evening. He had never seen Irika walk around the manor with such a smile on her face. _"I guess Anzu just has that effect on people,"_ he thought as she unwound herself from his grasp to go and talk with a friend. Ayame, if he remembered her name correctly. The girl whom Anzu had complained about earlier but now seemed the best of friends with. He shrugged his shoulders. _"I still don't get friendships, but who cares?"_

He sure didn't.

Taking another sip of his drink, he blinked in surprise when Jounouchi plopped down next to him on the loveseat. "Havin' fun, Kaiba?"

"As much as can be expected with this group of people," he muttered. He glanced down at his silver tie and straightened it slightly, making sure it looked proper between his black, long-sleeve shirt and black-and-silver striped silk vest. He then finished his cup of sake and sighed before looking over at Jounouchi. "What?" he asked. The mutt was smiling curiously at him.

"I saw you smiling today in the balcony seat," Jounouchi remarked.

"So?"

He shrugged. "First time I saw that. You looked happy for once."

Seto scoffed. "You sat down here just to tell me that?"

"Well, no. I mean..." He sighed and shook his head. "Thanks, man. For this party, and for supportin' her. I mean that. I really do. You can be an asshole sometimes, but it's obvious you care for her. You're the most selfish person I know, yet you invited all of us to your manor after making time to support her in something she loves. You got a heart for her, that much is obvious."

"It was Mokuba's idea," he remarked, slightly taken aback by the mutt's statement.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't allow it if you really didn't wanna hold it."

Seto peeked over at Anzu, who was still talking with Ayame, before returning his attention to Jounouchi. "This is her night."

"That's just it. You of all people are dedicating a night to her."

"Why wouldn't I? She did a fantastic job today. She deserves a celebration."

Jounouchi chuckled and stood. Turning to look down at Seto, he said, "All I'm sayin' is this. The CEO I knew in high school would've never done this. You've changed. Whether it's because of Anzu or just from the passin' of time, I dunno. But you've changed. And I respect ya for that." He pat Seto on the shoulder and walked away, leaving Seto somewhat confused as to the purpose of Jounouchi's remarks. Fortunately for him, Mokuba soon approached him and took Jounouchi's seat. He turned to look at his younger brother.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Mokuba answered, his smile widening as he took a bite of the small sushi. Appetizers were set on the middle coffee table, and Irika stood at the ready to replace any empty plates or refill cups. "Anzu's performance was awesome today!"

He nodded in agreement.

"I didn't know she was that good. You think she'll be asked to do more big-time shows in the future? Maybe even go to New York City someday?"

Seto shrugged, his eyes naturally wandering over to look at the brunette once again. "Who knows?"

"What would you do, Seto, if she got an offer like that?"

He again shrugged. "That is something not worth worrying over. If it happens, we will deal with it. If it does not, then there is no purpose in fretting."

Mokuba nodded in understanding and ate another bite of sushi. Yuki suddenly jumped onto the back of the loveseat and meowed down at the two. Mokuba chuckled and muttered, "Poor Yuki. She's so confused by all the commotion."

Seto smirked and reached back to scratch the cat behind her ears. "Oi, you got a cat, Kaiba?" he heard Jounouchi call across the room. Seto's smirk widened.

"Yeah, and we taught him specifically to chase out any dogs in the house."

"Hey, I just got done complimentin' ya! No need for that crap!"

"Give it a rest, Jounouchi!" Honda called over. Seto's smirk turned victorious as he watched Jounouchi shake his head in defeat and walk over to Shizuka and Otogi, who were both standing in front of the stereo system. As he scanned the room, he blinked in surprise when he noticed Yugi sitting on the other loveseat talking with a girl.

"_Saka... The girl the dance is based on."_ Seto could see why they would dedicate the dance to her. It was obvious war had done a number on her; she looked frail and a bit shaken, always looking down at the floor, as if she wasn't seeing what was there. But Yugi seemed to be trying to talk to her, and she would nod and timidly smile over at him from time to time. Seto remembered what Yugi told him on the bridge and felt a blush threatening to surface. He wondered if Anzu and he would truly last so long as to have a family of their own... _"I never even thought about things like that. Hell, I never even thought I would get a girlfriend, let alone marry and have kids."_ He mentally sighed and shook his head. _"No point in scaring myself over things like that. Take it one day at a time." _He couldn't help but look back at Anzu. _"She is being so patient with me. She understands I'm bad with words, yet she still puts up with me. She-"_

"Right, Seto?"

He blinked and glanced over at his brother. "What?" His brother pouted and gave him a disapproving glare. "Sorry, was thinking about something."

"More like some_one_." Mokuba chuckled. "I said, it seems like everyone is having a good time. We should do this again when we put out our game."

Seto scoffed. "This is Anzu's night. You can invite your friends over when we release the game, but don't expect much from me. And no, we're not inviting all these people again."

"But they are my friends, too, Seto, and you just said I could invite my friends over."

He sighed heavily. The idea that he would have to deal with this same situation three weeks from now sent a shiver down his spine. He felt his brother lightly punch his shoulder and glanced over to see him smiling. "Admit it, Seto. You're having fun."

"All I'm doing is sitting and sipping my drink."

"Yeah, and who's fault is that?"

"Mine. I never said it was anyone else's."

"Well, if you're bored, get up and talk to someone. I know I am." He blinked in surprise and watched as his brother stood and walked over to where Anzu was standing, joining in on the conversation. He mentally scowled, realizing his brother had just scolded him for being the antisocial person he was. He glanced back at Yuki, who curiously stared at him.

He really didn't want to talk to anyone, and he felt standing up and trying to enter a conversation would be either awkward or dishonest. This was Anzu's evening, after all. He could just sit here and watch. It was what he normally did at social events, anyways, unless he had to talk to another CEO or company executive to get some insight. He was by no means a small-talker, and not even Anzu would change that about him. The idea of leaving briefly entered his mind, but he knew Anzu would come looking for him, and he wasn't about to ruin her evening by being sulky. He pet Yuki's ears and mumbled, "What should I do, Yuki?"

"Hey, Mr. CEO of KaibaCorp."

He recoiled and glanced up in the direction of the voice. Ayame was standing in front of him, wearing a long, black dress with her hair pulled back in a simple ponytail. Her hands were on her hips, and she was smirking down at him. He frowned. "What is it?"

"Mind if I take a seat next to you?"

He shrugged. "Go ahead."

"Thanks." Plopping down next to him, she sipped at her cup of sake and sighed contently. "And thanks for hosting this party. Anzu seems to be having fun, though you're just kind of sitting here."

"These are her friends."

"I suppose."

He growled under his breath. _"Why is everyone scolding me for sitting here?"_

"Did you enjoy the dance?"

He nodded. "Actually, I did. I found it to be very interesting, and I thought you all did quite well."

"Thank you. We've worked hard, as I'm sure Anzu has told you countless times."

He again nodded. "I respect her, though, for doing it. It's obvious dancing is her passion and makes her happy. It's fortunate that she learned early in life what it is that brings her happiness."

Ayame nodded in agreement. "I love to dance, but yes, I would say it's Anzu's passion. There's a reason we all look up to her. She manages to bring us all together, even when we don't like each other. She deserved the lead role, and I'm sure she'll get the lead role next year as well."

"You aren't jealous of her position?"

"Absolutely not. I would not want the responsibilites she has, and I certainly could not remain neutral when it comes to certain arguments we have. Trust me, there are some catty bitches in our group."

"_From what I heard, you're one of them."_ Seto thought it best to keep that little comment to himself. He instead chose to grab Yuki and lift her into his lap, setting her down and scratching underneath her chin. Ayame chuckled.

"She's very cute. Where did you get her?"

"We found her. She was a stray, and we took her in."

He noticed Ayame's eyes widen at that. "I see... What's her name?"

"Yuki."

"A cute name." She giggled again. "Though I'm sure she's jealous now that you're giving all the attention to Anzu."

He smirked. "Yes, she has become rather possessive of Mokuba and me. But it's something she will have to get used to."

Ayame smiled and reached forward to pet Yuki. She chuckled at her softness as she scratched behind her ear and soon retracted her hand. Returning her attention to Seto, she leaned forward slightly and whispered, "She loves you."

Seto's eyes widened at the sudden statement. Frowning, he looked incredulously at her and asked, "What?"

"Anzu. I don't know if she has said it or not, but she loves you. I've been friends with her for years, and I've never seen her act the way she does when she talks about you." Motioning over to Anzu, who was now talking with Shizuka, Honda, and Otogi, Ayame continued. "Whenever I bring you up, her eyes widen, and she becomes all giggly and happy. She's like a little schoolgirl sometimes, but that's just how she is. I've seen her with previous boyfriends, but never like this. She loves you. I just thought you should know."

Seto stared at the dancer, not knowing what to say. Yuki reached up and licked his face, bringing him back to reality. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "If you're worried I'll hurt her feelings-"

"No, I'm not," Ayame interrupted, receiving a glare from Seto for doing so. She seemed to brush it off, for she immediately added, "I just know that Anzu can sometimes be...a little slow with things. Hell, perhaps she doesn't even know it yet herself. But yeah, she loves you, and I'm extremely happy for her. I thought it best to tell you. After all, I wouldn't want you to give her up just 'cuz she didn't speak up about her true feelings."

Seto scoffed. "I wouldn't dare give her away."

"That's what I like to hear!" Drinking her cup dry, she leaned forward and set it on the coffee table before standing. "Well, I'm going to go talk to her. You take care of yourself."

He merely watched as she walked away, mingling with the other guests. Seto's eyes wandered from her, to Saka and Yugi still talking, to Jounouchi playfully talking with another dancer, then to Anzu, who glanced back over at him. Noticing his gaze, she smiled and winked at him, causing him to blush slightly.

"_Anzu..."_

* * *

Tossing the last of the plates into the trash bag, Seto tied the bag and sighed heavily. "I'll take care of these, Mr. Kaiba," Irika remarked, motioning to the bags. He nodded. Silence filled the main foyer. All the guests had left, and the clock on the wall read ten after midnight.

"Thank you," he replied.

"Of course. And... Mr. Kaiba..." He glanced over to see her smiling. "I hope everyone had a good time."

"I think they did," he stated. "And I thank you for helping with all the preparations."

"Of course."

"Feel free to take tomorrow off. I know tonight ran longer than usual."

"Y-Yes, Mr. Kaiba."

Making his way through the living room, he opened the sliding glass door and stepped outside. Shutting the door behind him, he looked forward and felt a smile tug at his lips. Anzu was dipping her naked legs into the water, the top of her black skirt getting wet. Her light blue t-shirt hugged her figure tightly, revealing her curves and lean muscles. He walked up behind her and kneeled down. He felt a bit of pain in his leg at the motion, but it did little to stop him. His leg was all but healed; rest and some exercises made the last phase of recovery surprisingly swift. Placing a hand on her back, he chuckled when she jumped in surprise. "H-Hey!" she exclaimed, turning and smiling at him. He noticed her pat the area next to her and took it as his cue to sit down. He did so.

"Have fun tonight?" he inquired. A cool, night breeze blew, and the sky was painted with stars. He felt calm sitting there next to her.

"Yes, I did," she said, leaning against him and wrapping her arms around his right arm. "Thank you for all this."

"Thank Mokuba. It was his idea."

"I'm still going to thank you."

He leaned down, kissed the top of her head, and whispered, "You're welcome." Leaning forward, he glanced down into the pool and asked, "So now what are your plans, since the recital is over?"

"We get two months off, during which Natsumi and some of the other girls, including myself, come up with ideas for new shows. After our two month break, we get together and begin working out again, just slowly with stretches and a few exercise routines. It's then that we choose our next dance idea, and we go from there."

"So I can expect another show around this time next year?"

She laughed and nodded. "You can expect a new show around this time _every _year."

He smirked, again reminded of Yugi's supposed vision as well as Ayame's words. He looked down at Anzu to see her smiling out at the distance. She slowly looked up at him, and her smile widened. She looked so happy, so peaceful. He felt a warmth inside him that reminded me of their previous evening together. He smiled almost naturally at the sight of her. He knew he should have been scoffing at the happiness he felt in that moment, that the Seto Kaiba a month ago would have thought it weak to feel this way, but... "I love you, Anzu."

The words came before he could stop them, but once he said them, he knew them to be true. Anzu's face turned red. He blushed and swiftly went to stand and leave, embarrassment flooding his system, but before he could walk away, he felt Anzu wrap her arms around him, pressing her chest to his back. He sighed in defeat and slowly turned to look at her. "Look, I'm-"

She silenced him by planting a finger on his lips. Standing up on her tip toes, she smiled warmly and whispered, "I love you too," before replacing her finger with her lips. They were soft and tasted slightly of sake. He swiftly wrapped his arms around her as they backed away from each other for air. Her large, blue eyes stared warmly up at him.

He leaned down and placed his head on her shoulder. He then closed his eyes and inhaled a large breath of air. "I love you," he whispered again. It felt like a weight was suddenly lifted from his shoulders. He had wanted to say this...but never could. She felt him playing with his hair and remembered the previous evening again. Their bodies melting into one another's embrace, the kisses, the moans, the smells of sweat and sex... _"Yes...I love her."_

"You know, Seto... Now that I got two months... We should pick out a new game to play."

His smirk widened as he backed away to get a good look at her face. Moving a strand of hair that hung in front of her eyes, he muttered, "Oh, I can think of a few."

She chuckled and lightly tapped his shoulder. "Not _those_ games. I mean the games you're creating. _Video_ games."

"My answer remains the same."

"Well...?" His arm traveled down her back, and his hand wove its way around her waist into her own hand. He felt her grip on his hand tighten, and she raised her head defiantly. "Am I choosing which game we play?"

"Of course. This is your night, after all."

Her eyes softened at that, and her smile widened. Nodding, she said, "Good! 'Cuz I've noticed quite a few I want to try out!" Walking past him, she nearly dragged him back into the manor, and soon the two were seated on the sofa in the game room, controllers in hand.

"_How this all began..."_ Seto thought as he glanced down at his controller. Feeling Anzu snuggle against him, he peeked down at her and smiled. "How is it you make me smile all the time?" he wondered out loud.

"'Cuz that's what love does, silly."

"I suppose..."

"I know."

His smile turned to a smirk. "Just like you know I'm a good person, right?"

She looked up at him and winked. "Just the same. Though not the same as how I know to search for loot in trash cans."

He peeked down at his controller before returning his attention to her. "When you were a kid, did you ever think about having your own family? Did you ever think about kids?"

"Pfft, not until I was much older. I might want one someday, but not now with my dancing career."

"Same. I'll need a few years to get used to that idea..."

"What brought up that topic?"

"Nothing... We just have a game called _The Sims_, where you make a family, their house, and live out their lives. Since you're looking for a new game..." A good cover-up.

"Were you thinking of making us a family?"

He smirked. "If I did, what names would you have in mind for our kids?"

"I don't know. You think of something."

His smirk widened. "Nope. It's your night. We do what you want tonight."

"I want to play a game with you...then take a nice, hot bath...then have some hot, passionate sexy time."

He couldn't help but laugh. "You sure you didn't have too much sake?"

"I had just enough to know that that's what I want to do tonight."

His smirk widened. "Then you better pick out a game soon, else we'll be skipping some steps."

"Nope. You said so yourself." Standing to approach the game shelf, she turned her head, winked, and shook her butt at him, causing him to blush slightly. "It's _my_ night tonight."


	39. 39 : Too Much Hype

Chapter 39 : "Too Much Hype"

Seto placed his head in his hand and released a heavy sigh. He had made a big mistake last night falling asleep on the sofa. It was as if his nightmares were dormant in waiting; he had one of his worst nights of sleep in weeks thanks to a sudden torrent of memories and nightmares. He didn't even bother going upstairs to sleep in his room after waking up; he didn't want to awaken Anzu in case another barrage snuck up on him. But that left him tired on Monday morning, the worst morning of the entire week. A full mug of hot tea sat in front of him on his desk, and he grabbed it and took a small sip of it, feeling the warmth spread throughout his system. He closed his eyes and shook his head, turning around to glance out the window down at the city below. _"He's dead... He can't hurt me." _It was pitiful how he still needed to tell himself that, but he had to, nevertheless. Sometimes it was hard to believe. Sometimes the memories were simply too realistic for his own good.

"You okay?" He blinked in surprise and turned to see Anzu sitting on the sofa. She was staring curiously at him.

"When did you get in here?" he inquired. She came to work with him in order to utilize the gym found on the 30th floor of the building, a floor dedicated to the employees for their hour off. She was dressed in a loose, purple t-shirt and black shorts, and he noticed her running shoes next to the double doors leading into his office. He didn't hear her enter his office and wondered how long she had been sitting there.

"A few minutes ago," she answered. "You didn't seem to notice. You look tired. Didn't you rest last night?"

"No, I couldn't..."

"I noticed you never came to bed...you okay?" She was staring worriedly at him with her hands in her lap.

He shook his head before taking another sip of his drink. "Just...not a good night."

"More nightmares?"

"Yeah..."

"Have you...ever talked to someone about them?"

"Absolutely not. Those memories are mine alone."

"But, Seto..."

He shook his head once again. Turning in his seat, he moved the computer mouse and watched the screen come to life. "I'll be fine, Anzu," he stated in a mild tone, smiling softly over at her in an attempt at hiding his own misery. He didn't want her upset because of him. "Don't worry about it."

He listened to her chuckle and say, "It's my job to worry about you, Seto."

He smirked. "No, it's your job to find the loot underneath the bed and in trash cans."

Before Anzu could retort, the double doors opened, and Seto blinked in surprise upon seeing his secretary enter the room. Several magazines appeared to be in her hands, and she swiftly approached and set them down on his desk. "Mr. Kaiba, I thought you might be interested in these," she noted, her expression indicating that what there was to see would not help his mood.

"What are they?" he asked, grabbing the magazine on top of the pile. He blinked at the title. There was an image of his game on the front, but the title read **"Too Much Hype - And How It Could Spell Doom for the Kaiba Brothers." **He swiftly opened it to the table of contents, found the page detailing the article, and turned to the designated page. His secretary exited the office, giving him space to read.

_Over the past few months, there has been tremendous hype over the game supposedly being released by Seto and Mokuba Kaiba later this month, _the article began._ Both brothers are known for their Duel Monsters legacy. The Kaiba brothers were critical to the development and advancement of the legendary Duel Monsters card game several years ago; no one can dispute this claim_. _Seto Kaiba became famous for his tournament, his advanced technology, and his mastery of the card game, being second only to Yugi Motou. But let us not forget that neither Kaiba brother invented the card game. Maximillion Pegasus created the game; Seto Kaiba merely perfected it with his own technology. _

_Which leads me to the point of this article: that Seto Kaiba, nor his brother Mokuba Kaiba, have created a game before. They have worked with technology, run tournaments, and do indeed have sway in the gaming world - but NOT video games. _

_There is a lot of hype revolving around the release of their new game, titled "Steel Spirit," and rightly so. This will be the first time the Kaiba brothers will be releasing a video game, and if they do it as well as they handled Duel Monsters, a lot of corporations are going to have a new competitor to fear._

_But let me repeat the fact that neither Kaiba brother has created a game before. A video game is extremely different from a card game. Reviewers are already flocking to promote the game and congratulate its creators, but so far, we've seen very little footage outside that which was showcased several weeks ago. This reveals a serious flaw in the Kaiba brothers' marketing strategy; we have heard nothing from beta testers, nor is there a lot going concerning the state of the game itself. We only know the release date, approximately how long the game has been in development, and the basic premise of the game. The website detailing the game merely offers a pre-order button, a trailer, and some basic information on the mechanics. By now, we should have a clear understanding of what the game is about, the core mechanics of the game, and both beta testers and reviewers on the scene. All of this is missing._

_It is my firm belief that this game is merely a marketing strategy by the Kaiba brothers. There is no "Steel Spirit," or if it exists, the game is still being hammered out in beta, perhaps even as far back as alpha. This opinion, however, is unfounded, and as such, I'll let it be._

_However, the Kaiba brothers have to deliver on this game, if it even exists. There has been far too much hype concerning this game despite (or perhaps because of) the lack of details we know. If the Kaiba brothers fail to deliver, it could have serious repercussions for the company. For their sake, I hope they know what they're doing. We'll see if this game delivers on everything promised, or if it exists at all. If it doesn't, it might do them well to come out now and say it. Otherwise, the backlash would severely hurt their reputation. _

Seto's eyes widened with rage as he read, and by the end, his hands clenched the edges tightly, crunching the sides of the magazine inward. "What the hell is this?!" Tossing the magazine aside, Seto scoffed and shook his head. He then grabbed the next one to see a similar headline. The one below that had a headline that read **"Get Ready for "Steel Spirit" To Fail." **Growling, he leaned back in his sleek, office chair and scowled in disgust. "What the hell is wrong with people?"

Anzu's jaw dropped slightly upon seeing his sudden mood change. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"People. They're fucking morons." Tossing a magazine in her direction, he watched her grab it, her eyes widening in surprise as she read the front cover.

"What?!" she exclaimed. "W-Why do they think the game is bad? They haven't seen it yet! How could they think it's going to fail? And how does he think it doesn't exist? Didn't he see your conference?!"

"Because they haven't played it. They're right; we've had no beta testers other than myself, Mokuba, and you. But to think that the game doesn't exist is absurd, and the spreading of such lies is going to hurt us on release day."

"Why would someone say such a thing?" Seto was taken aback by her anger. She stood from her seat and walked up to his desk, placing the magazine on the pile, and placed her hands on her hips. "I mean, seriously! You have put your heart and soul into this project! Why would someone claim it doesn't exist when there's so much evidence that it does, not the least the fact you had a full conference dedicated to it?! Who would want to spread such lies?!"

"Someone being paid by an enemy company who fears us being successful. Either that, or an egomaniacal reviewer looking to make a name for himself. An idiot, at any rate."

"And all thwse magazines say the same thing...?"

"Something along those lines..." He growled once more and placed his head in both his hands, letting his hands slide down the front of his face. _"This better not be a sign of how my week is going to be."_

"I don't get it, though. I mean, wouldn't people be excited about a new game coming out from you guys?"

"Those not in competition with us are. They are ecstatic. Which is exactly what the competitors _don't _want. They want us to look incompetent. They want to paint us as inexperienced developers who don't know what we are doing in order to strike fear into customers. If video game players do not buy our game, it means we probably won't attempt a second one, leaving customers open to other companies."

She frowned and shook her head, shoving the magazines into the nearby garbage can. "I don't understand the business world at all," she reflected. "It's such a dog-eat-dog world. I don't know how you stomach it."

"I was trained for it," was all he said. His eyes wandered back to the pile of magazines now sticking out of the bin. They were all leading magazines; these weren't just some stupid tabloids. Someone high-ranking in the video game industry was pulling a last-minute stunt in order to hurt the CEO's chances of having high sales the first week the game was released. _"This was the exact opposite of what I wanted..."_ the CEO thought miserably as he placed his fingers against the temples of his forehead. A headache was pounding inside his skull as his thoughts raced. He had to determine how he would go about fixing this matter. _"I should have known that things were going too well."_

He heard Anzu move and watched her walk over to the nearby tea and coffee machine, placed on a mahogany table along the opposite wall. She began pouring herself a cup of tea and asked, "Well...what are you going to do about it? Your game is fantastic; you shouldn't let someone's lies affect how the game is sold to gamers. You have two weeks before the game is released, right? Three weeks after my recital? Is there anything you can do to combat these rumors before they get out of hand?"

"I can't simply release a statement claiming the rumors are false," Seto started. He hoped that stating the obvious would clear his mind and get him able to think straight. "People would blatantly point out that I would never discredit my or Mokuba's work. We need a third party to verify that our game is functioning and that it will be released in a timely manner in working condition."

"Could I be that third party?" she asked. He shook his head no.

"While I have no problem with it, others would again note that you're now my girlfriend. You are also not known for video games. I trusted your judgment during beta testing, but those in the industry won't. I need professionals."

"Do you know of any beta testers out there?"

"We have a few on file from my Duel Monsters technology, but none for actual gaming... I was hoping to avoid bringing in outsiders, to be honest. I don't trust anyone with my secrets or work."

"But couldn't you use that to your advantage?"

Seto frowned and blinked in surprise at her statement. "What do you mean?"

"Bring in some loudmouth beta testers. Your game is awesome, Seto. They'll see that. You got me into video games with it, and I never played video games before. Bring some people in to play the game so that they can spread the word that your game _is_, in fact, in great condition. Bet on the fact that they'll talk."

Seto's eyes widened. The thought was good, but he still didn't trust testers. "We would have to be extremely specific in what they could and could not release," he muttered.

"Well, have them sign a contract. Say what they can and cannot tell the public, but make it clear you want them to speak about the game, nevertheless."

"Very true..." He smirked and added, "Besides, I'll have to pay them for their time."

"Yeah, unlike _some_ of us here." She chuckled and winked over at him.

"I offered to pay you for the apartment," Seto countered.

"And I told you I like having my bed kiss me back."

"Yeah, just not one with loot underneath."

She stuck her tongue out at him, causing him to chuckle. His headache was somewhat subsiding, and he clicked on his phone the speed dial for his secretary. "Get me a list of some of the top video game beta testers in the area."

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba." The line went dead. He leaned back in his seat and sipped at his drink again.

"I'll have to inform Mokuba of this decision after he's done at school," Seto thought aloud, returning his attention to the computer. "He should know. It's his game, too."

"I'm sure he'll be fine with it. I can't imagine he's happy about the lies they're spreading. I wonder if the guys have seen anything, since they're all big video game players. Jounouchi even writes those video game reviews for the bookstore now. Did he tell you his article on your conference got him a slight promotion?"

A sudden thought struck Seto. For a brief moment, he thought he was mad, but then again, madness was seemingly becoming more and more the norm for him. How many times had he told himself in the past month that what he was thinking was madness, and look where he was? Besides, like his deal with Anzu, it made logical sense. _"So long as I don't start calling him my friend, we're fine."_ Reaching forward, he grabbed the phone before glancing up at Anzu. "Anzu..."

She peeked up from her cup and frowned at his gaze. "Yes?"

"What's the mutt's number?"

Her eyes widened, and she stuttered, "U-Um, let me check my phone. Why do you want his number?"

"Because he is a video gamer, and he was at my conference. He knows the game exists and could certainly play a bit of it. If I can get him, a known friend of my former rival, to write an extensive, exclusive article detailing my game and its greatness, it would deter those who would otherwise like to claim the game is bad or doesn't even exist."

"That's a great idea!" she exclaimed. He couldn't help but smile at how much her face lit up at the prospect of her boyfriend agreeing to work with another friend. "I'm sure he'd like to help in any way possible!"

"_I don't care if he wants to help. Jounouchi's article detailing the conference was surprisingly well-written. Either the mutt hired someone else to write it, or he's more literate than the average dog. In any event, his writing an article would secure my position and shut those morons up."_

"Here it is..." Anzu read off the number, and Seto dialed it in. Holding the phone up to his ears, he smirked when the line went through.

"_Time to surprise the world and put those idiots back in their place."_


	40. 40 : Friends and Allies

Chapter 40 : Friends and Allies

"Wow, someone out there is feeling the pressure."

Seto scoffed at his brother's comment. "My thoughts exactly." He watched as his brother sifted through the various magazine articles. On the laptop in front of him was an image of the front page of a large video game review website. An article quite similar to the ones in the magazines was on the front. Mokuba was leaning forward in his seat, scrolling through the comments.

"At least not a lot of people are believing this crap," Mokuba muttered. "Most of the comments being left think it's a rival company throwing a last-minute pitch. Whoever started this campaign didn't think about our fanbase."

"They didn't think at all," Seto countered. Mokuba chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"Not to say that _everyone's_ on board. Some people think that the game is too good to be true, and more than a handful on here think it's going to be crap. The article is right on one point; we never have made a video game before. But apparently that means we're just automatically going to suck at it."

"Well, in two weeks, they'll find out how wrong they are."

Mokuba sighed and leaned back in his chair. They were both sitting in the game room. It was nearing dinnertime, but little sunshine shone through the windows, as it was a relatively cloudy afternoon. Yuki meowed as she sat at Seto's heels, staring up curiously at him. Anzu had gone to Yugi's house to check on him and talk to him a bit more about last week's events, leaving Seto alone with Mokuba to deal with the matter of the sudden attack campaign. "Who do you think started this campaign?" asked Mokuba, glancing curiously over at Seto.

"I don't know, and quite frankly, I don't care."

"But Seto, if we don't find out who did it, they could continue spreading rumors and lies about our game. That'll hurt our sales, whether we like it or not."

"If we manage a counter-attack campaign well enough, we won't have to worry over who released those false rumors," Seto argued.

"Well, how are we going to do that?"

Seto smirked. "We first bring in a few people to play the game. I had my secretary come up with a list of the some of the best local beta testers. We bring one in a day and pay them to play a section of the game. Then we have them release a bit of what they did to the public as a "leak." If they like what they play, they'll correct those idiots without our interference."

Mokuba's eyes widened at the idea. "Wow, you're actually trusting others with our game?"

Seto again scoffed. "I don't trust anyone, Mokuba. But Anzu made a valid point. If I feel I can't trust them to keep their mouths shut, it might do well to rely on their babbling."

"Wait, this was Anzu's idea?!"

Seto nodded. "Surprisingly, yes. She seemed pretty upset with the magazine headlines and wanted to help."

"Why not let her speak about the game? She _did_ beta test it, after all."

"Because she's my girlfriend, and people would see it as me using my girlfriend for my own purposes or worse. They wouldn't trust her judgment, at any rate, just the same as they wouldn't trust you or me coming out and saying the game is fine. She's too close to be useful."

Mokuba frowned and shifted slightly in his seat. "I guess so..."

"I'll forward you the list of people the secretary gave me. You can help me pick out a handful that we'll allow this week. After all, you helped design the game, too. You should be involved in the decision-making process."

Mokuba smiled and nodded in understanding. "Sounds good. I'll check it out tonight after dinner." Crossing his arms over his chest, he added, "You know what we should also do? We should ask to be interviewed by a few people. Yeah, people might not believe us when we talk, but having us talk, I think, is better than sitting here and doing nothing at all. If we give some exclusive interviews, it might help with promotion."

"Again, Anzu already thought ahead of that," Seto replied, smirking over at his brother as he did so. "Or at least she gave me the idea for it."

Mokuba blinked in surprise. "Who do you have in mind?"

"Jounouchi."

Mokuba's eyes turned wide as saucers as the news sank in. "YOU invited Jounouchi to do an interview?"

"Why not? Everyone knows I don't get along with that dog. If we invite him to play some of the game, and he enjoys it, we can give him an exclusive interview. Having Yugi's friend interview us and say our game is good will certainly make it difficult for our detractors to push their false claims."

"You do realize that's going to help him, too, right?"

Seto frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Jounouchi got a promotion from his work at our conference. You're helping him out, Big Bro." Mokuba slowly began to smirk, causing Seto to frown. He shrugged.

"So what? I don't care what happens to the mutt. What I care about is the reputation of our video game, and what I know is that everyone knows I don't care for the idiot. If he were to come out and praise our game, it would give those who wish to slander our game something to think about."

"Uh-huh, sure, Seto."

Seto's frown deepened. "What are you implying, Mokuba?"

"I'm not implying anything, Big Bro." Yet Mokuba's cheesy grin said otherwise. Seto scoffed.

"Whatever. Are you suggesting you don't like the idea?"

"No, no!" Mokuba exclaimed, waving his hands innocently in front of him. "I think it's a great idea! Just...not an idea I expected from you."

Seto again shrugged. "He's, of course, not the only one we can do an interview with. If you are willing, you can schedule your own interview. It might help having the public hear from both of us concerning the game. I also hope to update our website in order to provide more information."

"I'd be a little cautious about going overboard, though, Seto. I mean, let's face it. Someone is launching a campaign just to get under our skin. If we give away too much, it might hurt as much as if we gave away too little. We don't want to look like we're on somebody's strings, you know what I mean?"

Seto's eyes widened at the thought. He slowly nodded in agreement. "Very true, however...it still might do to update the website a bit. Perhaps I should provide a few photos or a new video of gameplay footage."

"We could simply wait until the interviews are published, then post links to the interviews on the website."

"That could work..."

"Mr. Kaiba?" The two glanced over to see Irika standing in the archway. "Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes."

"Good. Thank you, Irika." Standing from his seat, he sighed heavily before glancing down at his brother. A small smile formed across his lips, and he pat his brother's hair to Mokuba's disgust. He chuckled when Mokuba backed away. "I'm proud of you," he muttered.

Mokuba blinked and looked up incredulously at Seto. "For what?"

"For this game. For all your help. You've grown up well, Mokuba."

Mokuba smiled back up at Seto. "Well...I couldn't have done so without you."

Seto shook his head. "You're naturally a good kid, and you could have turned this story into anything you wanted to."

Mokuba shrugged. "What can I say? We're a tag team; we always have been."

Seto nodded in agreement. Feeling the cat against his leg, he smirked and leaned down before picking the cat up. Holding it against his chest, he heard Mokuba chuckle and glanced over. "What?"

"Nothing." He frowned as Mokuba walked away and shook his head in confusion before following his brother out of the room.

* * *

"Heck yes, I'd be up for trying out Kaiba's new game!" Anzu chuckled at Jounouchi's statement as she took a sip of her drink. Saka, Yugi, Jounouchi, and she were all sitting at the restaurant, sipping at their drinks as they waited for their orders of food. Jounouchi smirked widely as he leaned back in his seat. "While I don't like the guy one bit, his game at that conference looked pretty intense. I just hope those damn Oculus rift thingys don't give me a headache, ya know? I hear they can make people sick."

"Haven't you ever played an Oculus rift game?" inquired Anzu.

"Nah, not really. I don't have the money for all that extra hardware."

"But didn't you just get a promotion?"

"Hey, I gotta pay back on my car before I get an Oculus rift! Priorities, Anzu!"

Anzu burst out laughing. "Sorry, Jounouchi, but I never associated you with priorities."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!"

"How well did you do back in high school, again?"

Jounouchi waved his hand to brush aside the comment. "Yeah, yeah. Whateva'. It's not like I'm the only one who changed. I mean, look at Kaiba. Asking me for an interview after dating you? What the hell happened to him?"

Anzu nodded in agreement before peeking over. Yugi and Saka had been absorbed in their own conversation since they arrived. It was a wonder as to why Yugi even invited Anzu and Jounouchi in the first place. Not that she minded. She was happy to see Yugi talking to someone else, and it left her room to talk with Jounouchi about the issues going on concerning the rumors surrounding Seto's game. "I guess we've all changed a bit since high school," she replied vaguely before taking another sip of her drink.

"I guess..." Leaning forward, Jounouchi brushed a hand through his hair before sighing heavily. "Still, that Kaiba... He's changed a lot."

"Do you mean Seto Kaiba?"

Both Anzu and Jounouchi blinked in surprise as they glanced over at Saka, who was suddenly staring curiously at them. "Y-Yeah," Anzu answered. "He's the one who hosted the party for my dance recital."

"I thought so." Saka leaned back in her seat slightly, rolling her dark green sleeves up as she did so. Her black hair was pulled back into a tight bun, revealing her thin face.

"Do you...know him personally?" Anzu asked. Everyone knew _of_ Seto Kaiba, yet few knew him well enough.

"No, but my officer swore by his step-father," Saka remarked. Anzu frowned as her eyebrows knit in confusion.

"Why would someone swear by his step-father?" inquired Jounouchi.

"His stepfather provided our army with weapons and tanks," Saka answered. "He was a leading supporter of a strong Japanese military and often came to visit our troops. I don't know this personally, since I joined only a few years ago, but Gozaburo Kaiba is kind of a legend in the military as far as supporters go. A LOT of people hate Seto Kaiba for changing the corporation from a weapons manufacturer to a video game company."

"So... KaibaCorp dealt with weapons before games?" She remembered hearing about it during high school, particularly during their trip to Noa's world, but such details slipped her mind years ago.

"I believe so," Saka replied timidly. "I remember hearing the officers talk about "the good ol' days" where Gozaburo provided them things."

"How much do you know about his past, anyways?" Jounouchi asked, turning to look at Anzu. "I mean, has he told you much of anything as to why he's such a cold-hearted bastard to everyone?"

"N-Not really," Anzu replied. "I mean, I know he has... He's had some issues in his past. But I don't push the matter. I figure if he doesn't want to talk about it, he shouldn't be forced to. After all, he-"

Her eyes widened, however, as a man quickly approached their table. "Excuse me," he said in a soft tone. "But would you happen to be Anzu Gardener, Seto Kaiba's girlfriend?" The man was dressed in a pair of slacks and a white button-up t-shirt. His black hair was underneath a black hat, and he looked to be a bit older. He shoved a recorder forward, and that's when it clicked in her mind who this man was.

Anzu sighed heavily. Another reporter. Great. "What's it to ya?" Jounouchi asked, leaning forward protectively.

"How do you feel about the recent string of remarks said about the CEO's game?"

"I have nothing to say to you," she replied haughtily, crossing her arms over chest as she did so. "I'm trying to enjoy a meal with my friends here, so I would appreciate it if you left."

"So you don't want to defend the fact that your boyfriend's game might be non-existent?"

"What kinda bullshit is that?!" Jounouchi exclaimed, slamming his palms on the table. "Of course it exists! Didn't ya see the footage at his conference?!"

"And who might you be?" the reporter asked, glancing curiously up at Jounouchi.

"He's a friend!" Anzu shouted. "Now leave us alone!"

"Am I to take your defensive mannerisms as suggesting that the game really _doesn't_ exist?"

"No, it does exist! But I don't see why I have to justify myself for you."

"A girlfriend who doesn't care about her boyfriend's reputation, eh?"

"Th-That's not what I-"

"So if this game doesn't exist, how do you think it will affect Mr. Kaiba's standing in the corporate world?"

"Wh-what are you-?"

"And won't that-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Everyone's eyes widened in shock as Saka stood from her seat. In one swift motion, she grabbed the reporter, who was at least a foot taller than her, by his shirt and pulled him close to her. Grabbing the recorder in his hand, she slammed it onto the ground and stomped on it, crushing it to tiny bits, before pulling him further down until he was practically on his knees. "We have people fighting overseas every day, wars going on all over the world, starving children, and poverty, and all you care about is a celebrity?! You should be ashamed of yourself as a journalist! How dare you give yourself such a title?!"

"Wh-Wh-Wh-Who are y-y-you?!"

"A former soldier, and one who doesn't take kindly to those who don't mind their own business!" Saka released the journalist, who fell to his knees in front of her and gasped for air. "Now leave us alone! You have no right to be harassing her!"

The journalist managed to push himself up and pointed defiantly at Saka. "Y-You'll be hearing-"

"From who? You harassed my friend and a veteran soldier! Who do you think the public will take sides with?!"

The journalist's face paled, and he looked around at the table before waving his hand in the air and rushing away from them. Everyone turned to stare at Saka, who stood as if stunned. Her hands began to shake, and she quickly took her seat, looking down at the table in horror. "H-Hey, you all right?" Yugi asked, putting his hand on her shoulder for comfort.

"Y-Yeah," she answered, her voice now low and timid once more. "I'm sorry. I just... I didn't like the way he was treating you, and I-"

"No need to apologize!" Jounouchi exclaimed. "That was awesome! That guy totally got what he deserved!"

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "I really...don't like getting violent. But when I see someone I like being hurt, I... Some of the training I received in the military comes rushing back. I was taught to defend those who were in my squad, and it...it sometimes carries over..."

The waitress came and placed a large tray of sushi in front of them. "Is everything okay?" the waitress asked, looking worriedly at them. "I saw that man approached your table..."

"We're fine," Anzu answered. The waitress nodded and left them be. She then leaned forward and smiled at Saka. "Thank you, Saka."

Saka slowly looked up and smiled in return. "I... You're welcome."


	41. 41 : Turning Point

Chapter 41 : Turning Point

Anzu sighed heavily as she closed shut the door leading into the main foyer of the manor. The clock on the wall read a quarter to nine. She frowned, realizing she had been out much later than anticipated. After dinner, the gang returned to Yugi's house to play some video games. Much to her amusement (and Jounouchi's disappointment), Anzu found that her video game skills significantly increased during her time at the Kaiba manor. What had once been a difficult game, she now beat Jounouchi in with little difficulty. _"Which is strange, since it's a completely different style of game,"_ she thought as she slipped out of her sneakers and into some slippers. _"But I guess my hand-eye coordination has gotten better. Plus the controller no longer feels so weird in my hands..."_ Looking down at her palms, she giggled at Jounouchi's anger upon losing to her. _"I'm sure if Seto was there, he'd never let Jounouchi live it down. Speaking of..."_

She glanced up at hearing footsteps approaching and smiled upon seeing Irika enter the main foyer. "Good evening, Irika!" she greeted, waving over at the maid.

"O-Oh, hello Miss Anzu!" Irika replied, bowing slightly at her. Anzu chuckled. She had given up long ago on the idea that Irika would ever feel comfortable enough using her first name. "You are back late, are you not?"

Anzu nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm sorry 'bout that. I didn't think I would be out so late."

"It is quite all right. Is everything okay?"

"Of course! I just spent the evening with some friends."

"I see."

"Is Seto here?"

"Yes. He is in the game room right now, I believe. Though Master Mokuba is not presently here. I believe he went to a friend's house for the evening as well."

"Okay, thanks Irika."

"You're quite welcome, Miss Anzu."

Anzu waited and watched as Irika walked towards her before turning and ascending the stairs. Anzu walked past the stairwell and down the familiar hallway towards the game room. When she turned the corner, she placed her hand over her mouth to cover her laughter at the scene before her. Seto was dead asleep on the sofa, his head hanging down against his chest. Yuki was sitting in his lap, curled up into a tiny ball, presumably sleeping as well. In Seto's hands was a controller, and Anzu saw that his game was running on the television. "Oh Seto..." she muttered, approaching him. He had yet to move. She still couldn't get over seeing him asleep. His walls were completely down. Even dating him, Anzu knew there were still some barriers between herself and the CEO. But when he was asleep...he looked so relaxed. So comfortable.

"_He didn't sleep well last night...why didn't he just go to bed instead of try to play a game down here? Was he waiting for me, perhaps?"_ She frowned at the thought and took a few steps forward before sitting on the edge of the coffee table directly in front of him. His bangs covered his eyes, and as she slowly pulled the controller from his hands, his hands fell down at his sides. Yuki, disturbed by the sudden movements, glanced up at Anzu and yawned at her before standing. Anzu watched as the cat placed her paws forward, stretched, then jumped over to where Anzu was. Anzu chuckled.

"You should be sitting with your big brother," she playfully scolded as she scratched the cat behind its ears. "He's the one who takes care of you, not me."

Yuki _meowed_ in response. Jumping down from Anzu's lap, she stretched once more before exiting the game room, leaving the two alone. Anzu returned her attention to Seto, who had yet to move, and sighed heavily. _"I should wake him up. He needs to sleep upstairs, especially since he didn't sleep last night. Leaving him here would just be cruel."_

She leaned forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Seto, it's me, Anzu," she whispered, shaking his shoulder slightly. He grunted in response, and his head moved slightly. "Seto, wake up," she repeated, this time a little louder. He shifted again, and his eyelids clenched tightly, as if in pain. "Seto, it's-"

In one swift motion, Seto opened his eyes and reached forward, grabbing Anzu's shoulder with a strength she didn't know he had. His hand remained frozen, as if he didn't know whether to pull her in or push her away. Anzu's eyes widened as she gazed into his blue irises. His pupils were dilated, and there was a sense of fear she had never seen before in the CEO. His breaths came out in short, little gasps. She whispered his name, not knowing what to do.

For a moment, they simply stared at one another. It was only when Seto's grip on her shoulder relaxed that she knew he was okay. She watched as his pupils shrunk to their normal size, and as his hands fell down to the sofa, he released a heavy sigh. "Anzu..." She could hear him swallow. "What time is it?"

"About nine o' clock," she answered, keeping her voice low. "I just got home a few minutes ago."

He looked around the room, as if to ascertain where he was, before nodding. "I see."

"You okay?"

He placed his head in his hand and slowly inhaled a large breath of air. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"You wanna talk about it?"

He swiftly shook his head no, to her discouragement. "No, I really... I really don't."

"You sure?"

He sat there, silent. His eyes were open, she realized, but it was as if he wasn't seeing what was there. Sighing heavily, he pushed himself up to a standing position and glanced over at her. She noted a few bags under his eyes. He looked completely exhausted. He turned to look at the t.v. and frowned. "Damn, I fell asleep while playing..." She chuckled and nodded. Grabbing his hand, she sat down on the sofa and pulled him back down next to her. He blinked in surprise when she took the controller and exited out of the game. "What are you-"

"If you're going to fall asleep while playing, then I'm going to play!"

He scoffed at her and rolled his eyes, though Anzu could tell he was trying to keep a smile from his lips. She brought him closer, and he looked in confusion as she placed her hand against his shoulder and brought his head down into her lap. "What are you doing?" he asked repeated.

"Just in case you fall asleep again."

He smirked and brought his legs up onto the sofa. She smiled and exited out of the game before loading her own character. As the game loaded, she softly ran a hand through his hair. She giggled when his hand began caressing her leg, and she glanced down to see that his eyes were closed. He looked much more relaxed than before, at any rate. "What did you do after leaving KaibaCorp?" he asked.

Anzu clasped the controller as her character appeared on the screen. It was funny how she was just letting the matter of his nightmare alone. She was getting used to him brushing it off, and there was no point in starting a fight over it. "I went out to eat with Yugi, Jounouchi, and Saka." She chuckled. "Saka nearly beat the crap out of a reporter who tried harassing us."

"The quiet girl?" he inquired, his voice indicating his surprise.

"Yeah. Her military training kicked in."

"Interesting..."

"Jounouchi is very excited about testing your game, by the way," Anzu noted. "He kept talking about playing it and even defended you when it came to that reporter."

"He's supposed to be coming in tomorrow to play it in the morning. Then I'm going to let him ask me some questions during lunch. We'll have a few more beta testers coming in this week to test the game as well."

"You think it will deter the reporters?"

"Hopefully it'll shut them up."

She chuckled. "I don't think there is such a thing as shutting them up."

"Not without breaking one of their jaws."

"Have they always given you problems like this?"

He shrugged. "When I initially took over, it was everywhere. I was the youngest CEO over KaibaCorp, if not in Domino City, and it caused the death of my stepfather. A lot of people blamed me for it." He shifted slightly. "It died down for a little bit, but as I rose in rank in the Duel Monsters world, so did my fame. It just came with the territory, and by then, I was somewhat used to it. The worst was when I initially lost to Yugi. It wasn't the reporters so much as co-workers and competitors. Everyone saw my loss as a sign of weakness. I had to spend weeks after waking up in the hospital doing damage control."

She blinked in surprise and blushed at the memory. _"That's right. Yugi used one of his powers on him during that duel. That was when Seto was controlled by his dark side..."_ But then it hit her what he said. "Wait...you went to the hospital?"

He nodded.

Anzu's eyes widened. _"That's right. Yugi's mind crush ability. It destroys the person and sends their darkness to the Shadow Realm. Seto...he went through that...only to wake up to everyone thinking he was weak."_ It was strange, remembering that part of her life but considering the opposing side. She thought the CEO had deserved it all those years ago. She never thought of the impact it would have on his life, or the company, or even his ability to take care of Yuki and Mokuba. She was completely oblivious to it all.

"You're not moving," he remarked. She jerked out of her trance and blushed. Picking up her controller, she moved to the teleporter and watched as her character was transported to the next dungeon.

"Do you...miss playing Duel Monsters at all? I mean, it was such a big part of our lives for so many years..."

"Can't say that I do, to be honest," he answered.

_That_ surprised her. "You didn't like playing?"

"I loved playing," he corrected. "But eventually, I just learned to accept the fact that I was never going to beat Yugi at the game. And if I can't be the best at something, then there's no point. Besides, that card game caused me nothing but trouble with your group of friends."

"You could still play it for enjoyment..."

"Not where I was. There was a constant reminder that I was second place. Everywhere I went, I had to be reminded. It began to eat away at me. Even _I_ could tell it was bad for me. I always brushed Yugi and you guys off, but I wasn't dumb. I was aware of what was going on, that I was letting the game consume me. I just had my reasons for being the way I was. Still, it wasn't worth it."

"Was that part of the reason why you chose to switch to video games?"

"Partially. I don't expect to be the best at making video games, but at least I can try. And at this point..." He sighed heavily. "At this point, I'm just trying to enjoy my life. I've gone through so much shit for nothing. I can't say I was happy during those years of Duel Monsters. I loved the challenge, and I loved the game, but I wasn't happy. The only time I was happy was when I was home, playing video games with Mokuba after work or school." He shifted again. "When I graduated, Mokuba and I had a long conversation. I was beginning to get ill from my work schedule. I was losing weight, and I could hardly sleep. I was living off of coffee and had no appetite. It was one of my lowest points. It was disgusting. We both knew I had to make a change."

"So is that when you gave up on Duel Monsters?"

He nodded. "I spent the summer away from Domino City, at our summer house. I put everything on hiatus and simply thought about what I wanted out of life. Not a very productive summer...but a crucial one. It helped me prioritize my life once again. I managed to determine what was important to me. I gained some weight back, got back into shape, and came back to see that Mokuba was busy writing short stories. That's when the idea of a video game began forming in my head."

"And now, here you are!" She smiled when he chuckled and nodded. Leaning forward, she planted a light kiss on his forehead and smirked when she saw him blush slightly. He glanced up at her, and his smirk turned to a smile.

"Yeah...here I am."

"Well, I can't say I know what kind of struggle you went through. I mean, I've had problems with my parents. There's a reason I was living by myself in a crummy apartment. But I give you a lot of credit, Seto. You've pulled yourself back up time and time again. I've seen you get knocked down, by Pegasus, by that Noa kid. But each time, you got up."

"That's all you can do in this world, Anzu. So long as you can fight back, there's no point in lying down and dying."

She nodded in agreement. "Well, I'm not letting you lay down and die anytime soon."

"Of course not. I still have to hide loot in places you'd never find."

"You and your damn cruelty!"

He laughed at her comment, and she laughed at his laughter. As his laughter died down, his eyelids closed, and she watched him inhale and exhale before snuggling against her side. "Wake me up if I start muttering in my sleep," he instructed. "That's usually a sign I'm having a nightmare, or so Mokuba tells me. And I need to sleep tonight. I can't afford to have another night like last night."

"Okay, will do."

"And...sorry for my reaction earlier. I thought you were...someone else."

"You mean when you woke up?" He nodded. She smiled sadly in understanding. "It's okay, Seto. Just remember... I'm here for you."

"I know."

Her sad smile remained as she glanced down at the CEO. She wanted to help him so badly with his nightmares, but there was only so much she could do. Forcing him to talk wouldn't get them anywhere. She simply would have to wait for him to tell her. In the meantime...all she could do was make him smile. Her limits were there, but at least she was able to make him smile, make him laugh.

It was only another minute or two before she felt him become heavier, indicating he was out cold. She leaned down and lightly kissed his cheek, smiling as she brushed his bangs aside. "Get some rest, Seto... You deserve it."


	42. 42 : Been There, Done That

_Hey guys. So I made a dumb mistake and changed the name "Saka" to "Sada" for no apparent reason in my past few chapters. Whoops! I went back and tried to correct as many errors as possible, but there might still be some places where her name is written "Sada." That's incorrect and totally my bad. :( Sorry if it caused any confusion._

* * *

Chapter 42 : Been There, Done That

Setting the Oculus rift down on the coffee table in front of him, Seto watched as Jounouchi took his own Oculus rift off. The mutt's smile nearly covered his entire face, and his eyes were wide with adrenaline and surprise. Clenching his fists, he exclaimed, "Dude, your game is fucking awesome!"

Seto recoiled slightly at the remark. "I guess that's one way of putting it..."

"No, like, for real!" Jounouchi stood from his seat to emphasize his point, reminding Seto of a little kid. "This is AWESOME! You're gonna get so many fans from this thing! Holy cow, and that was only the first few hours?! How long is this game?"

"We estimated it to be about 30 hours total for story," Seto answered, taken aback by Jounouchi's emotional response. "40-45 hours if you count side quests."

"Holy shit, dude. Man, no wonder you got people spreadin' rumors 'bout your game. I'd be pissin' my pants too if I knew you were about to become competition, especially with this good of a game. And with this bein' your first one...sheesh, people are gonna be freakin' out over this game!"

Seto knew it was the mutt's way of complimenting him, but to hear such a raw reaction surprised him. He was used to anger; compliments still threw him off. Biting his lower lip, he muttered a short thanks before sighing and standing from his own seat. He approached the massive television and game system and turned both off. The digital clock on the wall read 11:45. Outside, it was pouring down rain, and the raindrops against the glass windows overlooking the city filled the room with a comfortable ambience. "You hungry?" he asked, walking past the mutt and approaching his desk.

"Yeah, I guess. Now that you mention it, I am. I guess I should-"

"You like obentos?"

"Huh?" Jounouchi blinked in surprise. Placing his hands in the pockets of his jeans, he shrugged and said, "Yeah, they're good."

Seto pressed the speed dial button for his secretary. "Hanako, order two boxes of obento to go from Takaichi's and have them be delivered here."

"Any preferences?"

Seto glanced up at Jounouchi, who appeared stunned by the CEO's actions. "U-Uh...no, I have no..."

Seto rolled his eyes. "Just two regular obentos."

"Yes, sir."

Removing his finger, he took his place behind the desk and shook the computer mouse, bringing the computer to life. "Uh...thanks, Kaiba."

Seto waved his hand to brush aside the comment. "It's nothing." He brought up his email and mentally sighed. 50 new messages. It was going to be a long afternoon. Scrolling through, he immediatly counted 27 of them as utter junk and threw them in the Recycle Bin. He then clicked on the first email and went to begin reading it when he heard the sound of water running. He glanced over to see Jounouchi getting a cup of tea. He turned back in his seat and continued reading only to be interrupted by Jounouchi setting a cup down in front of him. He blinked, realizing the mutt had gotten him a cup as well. Grabbing it, he stared curiously up at Jounouchi for a good minute before motioning over to one of the sofas. "You can sit and watch t.v. until lunch gets here," he muttered.

"Thanks..." To his disappointment, Jounouchi just kept standing there, staring down at him. Seto sighed and taking a sip of the hot tea.

"What?"

"What'cha got planned for this afternoon?"

Seto frowned. "You mean after our interview?" When the mutt nodded, he replied, "Emails and reports. I need to file a few items, as well."

"Where is Anzu?"

Seto turned in his seat to return his attention to his computer. "She's at home, working on a few ideas for next year's dance recital."

"She tell you what her ideas are?"

"A few. She's supposedly calling her dance leader and talking to her about it. She also needs to stay in shape since it's expected she'll get the lead role next year. I assume she'll be working out in the manor at some point."

"Nice. I'm happy for her. It was funny. She kept sayin' she was going to go to New York City and be this big dance star over in the States, but she managed ta do it stayin' here. Can't say I'm upset 'bout it. I mean, it'd suck havin' her leave our group, ya know?"

"Yeah..." Seto was still staring at the same email. It was nearly impossible reading it with the dog talking to him, but for some reason, he didn't have the heart to tell the mutt to sit down and shut up.

"How have you and her been doin'? She seems to still be pretty happy with ya."

"We're doing fine."

"Good to hear. Oh, and are you the one who taught her to be so damn good at games?"

Seto's eyebrow rose at this. Giving up on reading his email, he turned his seat around one final time to look directly at Jounouchi. "Why do you ask?"

"'Cuz she kicked my ass the other night at Soul Calibur! That's my game, man! I can't have her beatin' me at it!" The image of Anzu winning against Jounouchi in a video game was too much for Seto. He burst out laughing despite himself, nearly spilling his drink in the process. The fact that _he _was responsible for it added to the humor. He swiftly reached up with his hand to cover his smile, but at the same time, the image was far too good to be true. "H-Hey! That's not cool, dude!" Jounouchi exclaimed, clenching his fists as he did so. "How would you feel if Mokuba suddenly beat you at a game?!"

"He has before, and I remained alive," Seto retorted, still doing his best to stifle his laughter. He would _certainly_ need to congratulate Anzu for a job well done when he got home.

"Eh? When did he eva' beat you at Duel Monsters?"

"I didn't say it was Duel Monsters. Mokuba is very good at video games. He's managed to beat me on several occasions."

"Damn, I'd betta look out for him, then, if you throw any online tournaments or stuff for your games."

Seto smirked. "Please, my little brother wouldn't even break a sweat beating the likes of you."

"Hey, you want me to write a good review for your game or not, Money Bags?" Seto scoffed.

"What bad thing would you have to say about my game?"

"Uhh..." Seto's smirk widened as Jounouchi failed to come up with a response.

"That's what I thought."

"Tch, whatever." Seto watched as the mutt walked over and plopped down on the sofa, taking a sip of his drink as he did so before setting the cup down on the coffee table. He then took out his notebook and began reviewing what Seto assumed were his notes for their interview. His phone soon beeped, and Seto quickly pressed the button for speaker phone.

"What is it?"

"Your obentos are here."

Jounouchi blinked in surprise. "Damn, that was quick!"

Seto rolled his eyes. "The place is just down the street." Standing from his seat, he crossed the office and opened the door. Walking down the hallway, he approached his secretary and a delivery boy who was carrying the bag of obentos. Taking out more than enough to cover a week's salary for the kid from the inner pocket of his trenchcoat, Seto handed him the money and took the obento. "Keep the change." He then turned and returned to his office, leaving the kid stunned with the wad of bills. He shut the door behind him and walked over to the coffee table, taking out the two obentos and pairs of chopsticks. "You want more tea?" he asked. Jounouchi blinked and glanced up from his notes.

"Uh, sure..." He handed over his cup, and Seto grabbed it before returning to his desk in order to get his own. He then walked over to the table and refilled both cups. "So, uh...any reason why you're being so kind?"

Seto frowned and turned to look back at him. "What?"

"You. You're being all polite right now, at least by your standards."

"You'd rather I order food and eat in front of you?"

"No. But that's what I'd expect from you."

Seto scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Give me some credit, Wheeler. Just because I don't like you doesn't mean I would let you starve."

"Says the guy who threw me to the ground at Duelist Kingdom and who's mocked me since the first day we met."

"_You_ grabbed me first at Duelist Kingdom, if memory serves me right," Seto retorted, returning to the sofas with the two cups of tea. Sitting down, he placed the cups on the table and moved one towards the mutt. "And those remarks were for all those stupid friendship speeches and talks of "destiny" that I had to sit and listen through."

"Hey, don't forget, some of those friendship speeches were given by the one you're now dating."

Seto shrugged and sipped at his drink before opening his obento box. "Yeah, and now I'm sharing my lunch with you. Got a point?"

Jounouchi chuckled. "That you are. But honestly, thanks for this, man. I know you're usin' me to get back at those reporters, but damn, after playin' that game, I don't blame ya. And you really didn't have to buy me lunch. So...thanks, man."

Seto again shrugged. "As I said, it's nothing."

"I guess. Though lemme ask ya something." Seto frowned as he grabbed his chopsticks and bit into a piece of salmon sashimi. "How much of your past have you told to Anzu?"

Seto's eyes widened at the question. "What...? How is that any business of yours?"

"It's not. I know that. But I asked Anzu about it the other day, and she said you pretty much keep to yourself when it comes to that topic." Jounouchi took a large bite of rice before continuing. "I know what that's like. Trust me. I had an abusive dad who I had to put up with for years. The alcohol and beatings were brutal as hell. But I managed to get out of that life, and, well...here I am." He smiled. "And you know how that was easy to tell you? Because I told her, and Yugi, and Honda, and all my other friends. Tellin' Yugi was the hardest. I thought for sure he'd put me down. But he didn't. Yugi's cool like that. He just accepted me. He even offered to let me stay at his place from time to time when things got bad at the house. Man, I felt like such a weakling when I first told him. There was no way someone strong and of my age should be dealin' with that shit, ya know?"

Seto merely stared in wonder at the mutt, listening to what he was saying even though part of his brain told him it was nonsense. His obento lay in front of him, untouched since Jounouchi began speaking. _"The alcohol and beatings..."_ He remembered what Anzu told him and mentally shuddered. He knew about alcohol and physical beatings all too well. Jounouchi, ignorant of the CEO's thoughts, took another large bite of rice and smiled. "But once you let it out," he continued, "it feels good. You realize it's not meant to be kept inside, ya know? We weren't made to hide shit like that. I hid it for years, and it just...man, it felt awful. It ate away at me, you could say. All I could do was think about hidin' it from the guys. Once I stopped and gave in, it felt good. I had a safety net. I had someone to talk to about my problems. Sure, the problems didn't go away. I had to get money and get the hell outta there for that to happen. But it made the sufferin' a little easier, is all." Jounouchi looked up and smiled at Seto. "All I'm sayin' is this. You don't have to take my advice if you don't wanna, and I'm sure you aren't goin' to, knowin' you. You're too proud for it. But talk to Anzu 'bout your past. She mentioned super briefly that you got some sort of complex going on, but anytime we try prying it out of her, she refuses to speak up on it. She wouldn't tell us, I can guarantee that. Your secret would be safe with her. But I also know she'd appreciate it. She'd listen to ya. She's got some problems with her family, too, after all, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind swappin' stories. And it feels good havin' someone listen to your problems. Trust me. I've been there, done that."

A moment of silence passed between the two. Taking Seto's silence as a refusal, Jounouchi shrugged and returned his attention to his obento. "Meh, it's your call. I'm just sayin'. You've changed; I already told ya that at the party. But I think it would be good for ya to let it go, whatever it is you're holdin', if you are even holdin' anything. That's my two cents; you can take it or leave it. I'm just lookin' out for ya, though I can't say I know why. Guess you gotta have some goodness in ya for Anzu to like you."

Seto scoffed, though it hardly came across as condescending as he had hoped. "I'm holding nothing back." He slowly picked up his obento box and began picking at the rice. Leaning back in his seat, he took a sip of his drink before taking a large bite of sashimi. His previous nightmares flashed before his mental eye in a matter of seconds, however, with Anzu's worried expression next to each of them. _"She's being so patient with me..."_

"A'ight, whatever. So, what's the next mission in the game? You got me curious!"

"Just eat, Wheeler."


	43. 43 : Waste of Time

Chapter 43 : Waste of Time

Boxes of the games were pushed into the back storage room with the cart, and the store's manager came out and shook Seto's hand firmly. He was smiling warmly up at the CEO, and Seto, despite himself, found that he admired the kid. "We really appreciate you choosing this spot to host your special midnight release party," the manager, a man named Mizuda, greeted. The man looked barely old enough to be out of high school, with bleached blonde hair and giant headphones dangling around his neck. His arms were covered in wristbands and other accessories, and his baggy pants and loose t-shirt made him look more like a street punk than a manager. But Seto had to give it to him. Within two hours, they were able to unload all the games into the back storage unit, set up the game within the computer system's database, and even get the video footage meant to be played the following week running on the televisions. The kid knew his stuff, and Seto could respect that.

Seto shook his hand and nodded. "I'll be here periodically next week to make sure everything is still going well," he stated.

"Of course, Mr. Kaiba. We'd be happy to have you here." Seto again nodded and released the manager's hand. The store was the largest video game store in Domino City; it made sense to have his personal midnight release be in the heart of the city. It was also the largest space available for his use, and it would allow him to blend easier into the crowds. He couldn't imagine what the paparazzi and reporters were going to be like that night. As if reading his thoughts, the manager chuckled and added, "We'll also be sure to keep in contact with your security, as we understand that is something you're interested in."

"Yes, we do not need the customers nor myself being harassed," Seto remarked.

"I couldn't agree more, Mr. Kaiba. I've been seeing some of the nasty rumors floating around about your game." Mizuda sighed and shook his head, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he did so. "Some people... They just don't get it."

Seto smirked. "And you do?"

"Of course! I'm a gamer to the core! I'm excited to see what your game has to offer to the Oculus rift users! Sure, there are some good games out there for the Oculus rift, but you're Seto Kaiba! You gotta have some surprise up your sleeve, I'm sure!"

Seto's smirk widened as he nodded. "Let's hope game players think the same after they're done playing it."

"I'm sure they will. Those beta testers you hired seem to be enjoying it, at any rate."

"_So the bait really did work..." _Seto mentally smirked victoriously. Jounouchi's article was just released yesterday, Friday morning, and Seto's handful of beta testers had done exactly as he asked, discussing hints and dropping episodes of the game here and there to those willing to listen. Within days, Domino City was buzzing with news of the game, all good news. Those who had bad-talked the CEO earlier in the week were now retracing their steps, and a few even came out and admitted their opinions had been unfounded. Anzu's strategy had worked. _"Speaking of..."_

As the manager turned to leave him be, Seto turned around to see Anzu talking with a nearby child about a video game he was interested in buying. "Oh, I don't know, is that one you can play with your friends?" he heard her ask the little boy. "I think you should get a game that you can sit with your friends and play."

He smirked, remembering her friendship speeches from high school. _"Wheeler did have a point. I'm definitely dating the girl who threw friendship in my face all those years ago."_ What was weird was that he had listened to the mutt's advice that morning as well. He had yet to act on it, but after thinking it over, he realized that his silence may not be fair to his girlfriend. _"She's being more than patient with me, and I've yet to really tell her anything about what he did to me, what he put me through. Though I don't know much about her past, either. I never asked, because quite frankly, the past is the past. Look at how she was years ago, giving me all those friendship speeches, and now...here we are. But is she really so interested in my past? Should I give in and talk to her about it?"_

He mentally sighed and shook his head. _"A matter for another time. Right now I need to make sure this thing is organized."_ He returned to the counter, where the manager and a co-worker were standing, and grabbed a nearby packet of papers. Inside was detailed the exact schedule of the midnight release party. Flipping it open, Seto began skimming through the lines of text. Everything looked good. He would arrive at 10 o' clock at night, the second the store officially "closed," in order to greet the customers. There would be some merchandise available, but he and Mokuba would mostly stand around and talk to the customers about the game itself. It was quite different from a Duel Monsters tournament, he was quickly realizing. He would be able to mingle with his fans and talk to others about the game. _"When it came to Duel Monsters, because I was in second place out of the entire world, I was on such a pedestal that I couldn't speak to anyone. However..."_ He wondered if he should be frightened or excited by the prospect of actually speaking to fellow gamers. He figured a mixture of both was probably the best combination. _"Mokuba will be in his element, at any rate. He's always been good with talking to others."_

"What are you doing here, Eiichi?!"

Seto blinked in surprise at the sudden shouting and glanced over. An older woman was standing in the doorway, her hands on her hips and a look of utter disgust on her face. She was staring at the child next to Anzu, who immediately retreated behind her at the sight of the woman. Seto swiftly determined the woman to be the boy's mother.

"Ma'am, is there something wrong?" the manager asked, glancing up in the direction of the woman.

"My son is wasting his money on video games, that's what!" She took a step forward, and the boy cringed slightly behind Anzu. Seto felt his eyebrows knit together as he watched the child back away from her. "Get over here, Eiichi, right now!"

Seto's eyes widened. He quickly took a step forward. The woman, noticing this, glared over in his direction. "What, are you one of the employees wasting their lives on these games?" she inquired, glaring furiously at him.

"No, I'm a creator of one of these games," he countered. He could feel his anger rising with each word this woman said. "And I take offense to the idea that you think these games are a waste of time. Though I guess we can't all be educated on what constitutes a waste of time."

"Hmph, what else would you call something which distracts him from his studies?"

"I would call that living."

The woman's eyes widened, and she pointed vehemently at him. "This is none of your concern!" She then returned to looking at the boy. "Eiichi, enough! Get over here!"

"What makes you think yelling at him like an animal will help?" Seto countered. Approaching the boy, he kneeled down and frowned when he saw the kid crying. Anzu was leaning down and patting his shoulder, glaring daggers at the woman but otherwise saying nothing. "What game were you looking to get?" he whispered softly.

"Don't you dare-"

Seto shot her an icy glare that froze her to the spot. He could feel everyone's eyes on him, but he didn't care. He returned his attention to the kid and repeated his question. The kid wiped his tears away before whispering, "U-Umm... I wanted...the new Animal Crossing game... T-The one for...for NintendoDS. I like...Animal Crossing a lot."

Seto looked behind him and saw a new copy of the game on the shelf. "Do you have a NintendoDS?" he inquired. The boy nodded. Seto could hear the woman moving and immediately shot her another glare, which did short work of her desire to interrupt. He then stood and walked past the boy, picking the game off the shelf. "This the one?" The boy again nodded. Not even bothering to check the price tag, he walked over to the manager and said, "Ring this up. I'll pay for it."

"You can't just-"

"I can, and I will." He turned to look at the woman once more. "Your son is not a robot. I don't know what kind of garbage you've been telling him, but clearly you have no understanding of the video game industry or what video games are. Perhaps if you actually sat down and watched your son play a game, you would understand his desire to play them and realize that they are far from wastes of time. They spark creativity in users and can help build social relationships with others."

"Hmph, says someone in the industry! Of course you would say they aren't wastes of time! You just want my child to spend _my_ money on _your_ games!"

"My game is rated for adults," Seto countered, watching as the manager cautiously rang up the game. "Meaning I wouldn't let your child play it. I'm a responsible adult who wouldn't let their children buy mature-rated material, unlike you. And if I wanted money, would I be the one buying your son a game right now?" The woman's jaw dropped at the remark. Pulling the money from his pocket, Seto handed it over to the manager before grabbing the game. He then walked over to the kid and knelt down in front of him once more, placing the bag in his hands. The kid smiled up at him and nodded, wiping the last of his tears away.

"Th-thank you, Mister..."

"You're welcome." Standing, he turned to look at the woman once more. "Why don't you actually follow through with your responsibility as a parent and respect your child? Yes, grades are important, but you obviously have no understanding of what it is that makes your son happy. I would suggest sitting with him tonight and watching him play the game. Maybe you'll actually learn something about video games, mainly the fact that you're wrong that they're wastes of time."

The woman was shaking with rage, but as the boy approached her, she seemed to calm down. The boy was smiling widely at her, holding the game out at arm's length to show it off to her. "Mommy, you can play as the panda, and I'll be the dog!" he exclaimed.

"You'll be nothing until you do your homework tonight!" The mother shot a final glare at Seto before turning and leaving the store in a huff, the boy following closely behind. Seto clenched his hands in anger but knew there was little he could do.

"Poor kid..." he heard the manager say. He turned to see the manager shaking his head in disgust.

"Do you get parents like that often?" Anzu inquired. Her eyes were wide with worry.

"Not usually. Most of them are pretty ignorant about games, so they just let their kids wander and buy whatever games they want. We've had to inform quite a few parents about the rating system; they think it's okay for their kids to buy adult-rated material simply 'cuz they don't know what adult-rated material is. But seeing parents like that is the worst. You wonder how they treat the kids at their homes..."

Seto nodded in agreement. He was still angry, but he knew there was little point in remaining so. The situation was out of his hands. He slowly approached Anzu, who was obviously distressed by the episode, and smiled lightly down at her. "Some people are just morons who can't be saved," he muttered. "Perhaps one day she'll learn."

"I just...feel bad for that kid," Anzu replied.

Seto went to say something when the front door opened once more. Two teenagers walked in, engrossed in conversation, and approached the counter. They seemed to know the manager, for Mizuda smiled and immediately began talking with them. Seto glanced down at Anzu once more and shrugged. "We're almost done here," he stated. "I just want to check a few more things in the back, then we'll be able to return home."

"Take your time," she replied.

"Thanks." His thoughts wandered back to his conversation with Jounouchi, and he found himself asking, "Are you going to be practicing anything tonight?"

"You mean for dance?" When he nodded, she shrugged and said, "I don't know. Maybe for a little bit. Why? Something wrong?"

"No, just... I wanted to talk to you about something tonight." When he saw her expression turn grave, he quickly added, "There's nothing wrong. I just want to discuss a few things."

He didn't know if she really understand what he meant, but she nevertheless nodded. "Okie dokie, sounds good."

"Okay." Turning, he headed back to the storage room to take one final stock of the games.


	44. 44 : Understanding

Chapter 44 : Understanding

The silence was heavy between them. A stereo placed nearby was playing ambient electronic music, filling the air with a mystical quality. Anzu's legs were in the pool, and her movements created slight ripples in the water. It was night, and the stars as well as the lights from the manor provided enough illumination for the two. But Seto felt no sense of relaxation or peace. In fact, he felt an utter mess. Never before in his life had Seto felt as uncomfortable as he did now. He hadn't even been able to look at Anzu as he talked, recounting memory after memory. Instead, he stared down into the pool, avoiding their reflection. The shame from his memories, combined with the embarrassment of telling her, made his stomach reel. Every sentence made him feel ready to vomit. Every explanation made him shudder.

And yet, he had told her everything from start to finish. About the scars, the initial physical violence. About people questioning his health, and the turn from physical to mental abuse. About his taking over KaibaCorp and the subsequent disappearance of his step-father. It had taken nearly three hours just to get through it all.

And now that he was done...he didn't know what to feel. His hands were shaking, his brain muddled, his stomach doing flips. But a tiny part of him told him he felt better. As the minutes passed and his nerves began to calm down, he found it strangely comforting knowing that someone now knew of what happened. It was as Jounouchi had said. He no longer had to hide from Anzu what made him wake up scared or lie about what left him with many sleepless nights. The simple knowledge that someone else carried his burden did something to him. He felt guilt for giving her his problem, but at the same time, he... He felt different. Lighter. He glanced over to see Anzu looking down into the pool. The water reflected off her blue eyes, and she slowly placed her hands in her lap and turned to look at him. She had yet to say a word, but there was a light smile across her lips.

His lips quivered, and he quickly returned his attention to the pool. He watched his girlfriend's reflection as she slid over to be closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. He lifted his hand and placed it on her arm, feeling the warmth of her soft skin underneath. Their eyes met in the reflection of the water. He could feel one of her hands gently scratching his back, creating a soothing sensation around his tense muscles. They continued sitting in silence, letting the minutes pass by. One second he felt he should say something, while the next second he felt he said too much. He had no idea what he was to do, now that everything was spoken. He didn't even look up as he heard the door to the manor open. Heels indicated it was Irika approaching. "Mr. Kaiba, Miss Anzu, would you like your usual cup of hot tea?" she inquired.

"That would be great," Anzu answered. Seto frowned. He wasn't sure he could drink anything, even something as simple as tea.

"Of course." The sound of her heels faded as the door was closed shut once more. He watched in the reflection as Anzu turned to look back at him. She pressed the side of her face against his arm and stared back at his reflection in the water. Still, she said nothing to him. He sighed heavily, feeling his shoulders sag forward somewhat.

"I..." He groaned as his stomach flipped. He suddenly felt tired. He felt Anzu pat his shoulder and glanced over at her. Not in the reflection, but actually at her. She was smiling softly, and her eyes gave him more comfort than any words could. She had listened. Patiently sitting for three hours, she hung on to every word he said, letting him take breaks when necessary and never once saying something derogatory. He let his head fall on top of hers, closing his eyes as he felt her continue rubbing his back.

"I love you, Seto," she whispered to him.

"I love you, too, Anzu." The first words in over three hours that didn't feel forced.

"Thank you for telling me everything."

"You're welcome."

"I appreciate it."

He nodded. Lifting his head, he inhaled a large breath of air and rubbed his eyes in the hopes of bringing about some form of energy. Glancing over at her, he muttered, "Just...so that you know. I, uh...thanks for hearing me out." He cleared his throat and shook his head. "Sorry, I know I sound like an idiot right now. It's just-"

"You don't sound like an idiot," she scolded, her voice cutting through the awkwardness that hung in the air. "You telling me all of that was very brave of you, Seto. You shouldn't mistake that kind of courage for weakness."

His eyes widened at her words. He blushed slightly and returned his gaze to the pool. The song in the background changed. He swallowed. "I was trained to believe all emotions were weakness, Anzu," he stated. "And over the past month, I've felt more emotions than I have in the past few years. I'm trying. I want you to know that. I'm trying... It's just, sometimes..."

"Seto." The strength in her voice shocked him. If he didn't know better, it was as if they were simply having a normal conversation. There was no sense of pity or sympathy in her voice. No softness that he expected. No "woe is me" tone or fan-girl moping. Not that it was hard or scolding. Quite the contrary. It was simply...accepting. Supportive. Strong. He saw her gazing at him in the pool. "It's okay. There's no need to apologize. I... I wouldn't be eager to talk about that kind of stuff, too, if I went through those types of things. We all have our skeletons, some more than others. It takes time to develop enough trust to talk about...well, the rough parts of our pasts. And I always knew you were trying. There was never a moment where I didn't think you were. I knew you would need some time. So don't worry."

He placed his hands on the ground and pushed himself up to a standing position. The sudden change, after three hours of sitting, made him momentarily dizzy, and he closed his eyes to reacquaint himself before reopening them. He watched as Anzu stood as well. She giggled as she slipped on her pair of black flip flops. Smiling down at her, he nodded and muttered, "Thank you, Anzu. I mean it."

"I will not tell Mokuba," she stated. He smirked; she was getting good at reading his thoughts. "That is for you and him to discuss. Not me."

"Thank you."

The door to the manor opened, and Seto watched as Irika came out with the usual platter of tea. She set it down on the nearby table, the same table Seto and Anzu sat at when he had the bad day at physical therapy. That part of his life felt like ages ago. It was almost impossible to believe that less than a handful of months had transpired since Anzu first started watching out for him. Back when he was confined to the wheelchair and doing physical therapy. Had it really only been a month or so since then?

Irika bowed and left the two alone, and Anzu quickly walked over and began preparing their cups of tea. He merely watched as she poured them both cups of hot water, stirred in some warm milk, and returned with them. Her smile made him smile despite himself, and he grasped the cup firmly in his hands and leaned down to smell the warm tea.

"Let's go for a walk," Anzu stated. His eyes widened slightly in surprise at the idea. "It's a beautiful evening out," she explained. "And it might be good for us."

Before he could turn her down, she wrapped her free arm around his and began walking forward. Placing his cup of tea in his other hand, he allowed himself to be led into the hedge maze. The further they walked away from the manor, the more the music from the stereo faded, replaced by the sounds of bugs humming and buzzing in the maze. His heart was still somewhat racing, but at least he was beginning to feel better.

"I used to go for walks like this with my dad all the time," Anzu promptly said as she took a sip of her tea. They turned right and continued walking along the path. "He would work long shifts, so it wouldn't be until night. But by then, there were few people at the park, so it was oftentimes just him and me. We'd talk about how our days went, what we did, about any problems we had at work or school."

"Did your mother tag along?" asked Seto as he drank nearly half of his cup in one gulp. The warmth of the drink significantly calmed his nerves. He quickly finished it and sighed contently.

"No. Mom and I never got along."

Seto frowned as he glanced over at her. "Why not?"

Anzu shrugged. "I was just always a daddy's girl, I guess. I don't know. Mom is and has always been very selfish. Everything revolves around her. When I started dancing as a kid, she often used me to show off. I felt like a toy more than a child. But... Dad always supported me. He was always proud of my accomplishments, helped pay for things, and was always by my side. When I told him as a kid I wanted to be a dancer, he went out and found one of the best dance studios in the area the following day. Mom...she hated it. All of it. But he was the one making the money, so she didn't have a say in the matter, fortunately."

"What does your father do now?"

"My father is a high school teacher. He teaches chemistry. Not at our old high school; it would have been super awkward having Dad as a teacher. He works in the outskirts of Domino City, away from the downtown area."

"And your mother?"

"She stays at home and complains all the time about being lonely."

"So your parents are separated?"

"Oh no, my parents are still together. But the relationship between my mom and I turned really sour during high school. When I went off to travel with Yugi and the gang for the card tournaments, she felt I was slacking in school and hiding something. She thought I was dating Yugi or one of the guys and lying to her about it. Everytime I saw her, she had some new conspiracy theory as to why I was always away from home. Eventually I just gave up."

Seto's eyes widened. "So all that time, when you were defending your friendship with that group... You were spending time with them in order to stay away from home?"

"I guess, though it wasn't like it was a big secret where I was. Dad knew where I was going and what I was doing. Mom just thought I was doing...something else."

"Is that why you were so defensive of them in high school? Your friends?"

Anzu chuckled. "You know, I never thought about that, but it makes sense. I would have been defensive of them whether my mother agreed with them or not, though. They were my friends. They helped me in times of trouble, and I learned a lot from traveling and being around them."

Remembering all her friendship speeches, he found it difficult to imagine that same, high school girl having home problems. _"Back on Pegasus's tower, when she called me a robot, and all those times she begged me to help Yugi and them in their "quests to save the world" bullshit...she was so possessive of her friends, because they were her only areas of support."_ He sighed, realizing that neither one had really understood the other all those years ago. _"But does that really matter? I guess if it didn't, I wouldn't have spent this entire evening covering my life story. Still...it's..." _Clearing his throat, he asked, "How is your relationship with your father now?"

"It's okay. He's still around, still working a lot. He loves his job, but it admittedly eats up a lot of his time. I talk to him rarely, but I do still talk to him. I told him what happened at the apartment when I decided to come here, just to let him know I was safe."

"Was he at the recital?"

"Yes."

Seto blinked in surprise. "Did I see him and just not know who he was? I should probably meet him at some point..."

"He knows who you are. With all the card tournaments I tagged along with Yugi to, it'd be hard for him _not_ to know your name. He just gave me a quick kiss and congratulated me right after I was finished. He had to leave before Mom caught wind of the fact that there was even a recital in the first place."

"So you hide everything from your mother?" Anzu nodded.

"I'm just happier that way. Sure, it's a lot of work keeping in touch with Dad without letting her know, but it's worth the trouble."

"I should like to meet your father at some point," Seto remarked. He smiled when Anzu's eyes widened in surprise. She looked up and smiled widely.

"I think I'd like that too. I know he would appreciate it. He's very thankful for everything you've done for me since my apartment was robbed."

Turning yet another corner, they came out to the central square of the maze. In the center was a small fountain with two dragons shooting water from their mouths down into the pool. The two approached and stood silently. Seto glanced up at the night sky and lightly smiled, listening to the sounds of the running water and bugs. The smells of the grass and flowers filled his nostrils. He wsa finally beginning to relax. Closing his eyes, he slowly inhaled and exhaled before looking back down at Anzu. "Come on, let's return to the manor."

Anzu blinked in surprise and glanced up at him. "Why?"

"I want another cup of tea. And besides, I'd like to play a game before heading to bed. Just to clear my mind."

Anzu smiled and nodded. "What game are you thinking of playing?"

"Why? Interested in joining?"

She winked. "Of course."

He smirked. Leaning down, he lightly kissed her cheek and whispered, "Then you can choose."


	45. 45 : The Midnight Release

Chapter 45 : The Midnight Release

"Dude, aim for its arms!"

"I can't, man! There's books flying everywhere!"

"Huh?! Where?! Oh shit!"

Anzu burst out laughing, along with the rest of the crowd, as the player was hit in the face by an oncoming book, causing him to jerk backwards and nearly fall to his butt in surprise. She blushed at remembering her somewhat similar reaction when she and Seto reached the library in the video game. Having the books fly out at her had taken her by surprise, and she remembered Seto's scolding of her as she panicked and wasted ammunition in trying to fight off every tentacle enemy. Now, she realized, she wasn't the only one who was going to be making that mistake.

People jeered and laughed at the players as they were bombarded by haunted books flying out of the bookshelves as well as the ghostly tentacles attacking the players. The players themselves, equipped with controllers and Oculus rifts, stood in front of the massive television screen that revealed their gameplay. They were jumping around frantically, attempting to physically dodge the books (despite the inability to do so) and shooting at everything in their path. Anzu stood in the crowd surrounding the two male teens who were playing the game, her hands in her pockets and a smile on her face. Crossing her arms over her chest, she chuckled when one was killed by an incoming novel. Another gamer standing next to her in the audience raised his arm and shouted, "Oh, oh, let me play it!"

"No way, dude! I want another shot!"

The player next to her growled but remained patiently standing. "This game looks fantastic," someone observed behind her. "I wonder what kind of visual engine the Kaiba brothers used to make this game?"

"It makes Bethesda's system look outdated!" another guy remarked. "And have you seen their most recent stuff? Kaiba definitely made this game for current-gen consoles!"

"What do you expect from the guy that revolutionized Duel Monsters?" a third gamer, a girl, asked. "I'm tellin' ya, those guys over in EA and those other companies better be on the lookout!"

Anzu smiled. She didn't necessarily understand all the video game lingo, but she knew one thing was certain: Kaiba's game was going to be a success. The crowd around her had grown almost double in size since the doors to the midnight release party were opened, and everyone stared wide-eyed, pointing out things they thought looked interesting or good in the game. Many were excited to try it out themselves. There was very little being said about worries or concerns with the gameplay. Nearly everyone around her seemed positive and excited about the release.

Turning, Anzu left the crowd and scanned the massive video game store for Seto. Having been to several midnight release parties, she was nevertheless shocked by how many people showed up to this one. The place was packed to the brim with video gamers, a few reporters, and employees. One employee was standing on a small ladder, shouting out video game questions to an audience of maybe forty gamers, who would then be picked to answer correctly for prizes. A long table was set up at the front, filled with sodas, bags of snacks, and small appetizers. She couldn't find Seto, but she immediately spotted Mokuba walking around and smiled, rushing towards the kid. Mokuba blinked in surprise upon seeing her and smiled. "Hey, Anzu! Havin' fun?"

She nodded and smiled widely. "You bet! Though not as much as the guys over there are."

Pointing at the gamers, she laughed when the same kid as before died a second time, eliciting a "You suck!" from the crowd. Mokuba laughed and shook his head.

"At least everyone's having a good time," Mokuba remarked. "I've been talking with a bunch of people who pre-ordered the game. They're all excited about it and keep asking me questions. It's kinda cool, having people ask about your product. I don't know why Seto doesn't like this kind of stuff. You'd think he'd love spouting off about his inventions since he's so passionate about the tech involved."

"Where is he now?"

"Up at the front with the manager." Turning, he pointed towards the main counter. Through the crowd of people, Anzu could barely make out her boyfriend standing next to the bleach-haired manager.

"Has he talked with anyone else?"

"Yeah, a few people, actually. I think he's starting to loosen up. He seems to really like the manager, too. Might be a good contact to make for a future beta tester."

Anzu giggled. "You certainly are developing your brother's business sensibilities."

Mokuba laughed as he shrugged. "Hey, whatever it takes, you know? I'm just happy he's talking to anybody. I thought for sure I'd have to pull him out of the storage unit out back."

Anzu smiled and nodded in understanding. "It takes him a little bit, but he eventually comes out of his shell. And so long as he's happy, that's all that matters."

Mokuba nodded in agreement. Placing his hands on his hips, he said, "I'm going to go check out the testing crowd. You should say hi to Seto."

"Will do." Watching as the younger Kaiba brother walked away and into the crowd of gamers, she turned and managed to push her way through to the front desk only to see a sight she thought she would never see.

"Yo Rich Boy, where's my pre-ordered version?"

Jounouchi was approaching Seto with a cheerful wave and a smile on his face.

She knew that Jounouchi and Seto had talked on multiple occasions, primarily about his game. But to see the two voluntarily standing next to each other and not throwing insults at one another was quite the spectacle. Even at her after-recital party at the Kaiba manor, they had merely taunted each other, though Seto's tone was certainly better than it had been in high school. But now, standing next to a rack of strategy guides for Seto's game, she watched as Jounouchi approached Seto, who was still standing behind the counter talking with the manager. As the sound of Jou's voice, Seto turned to look in the direction Jounouchi was standing.

"What, didn't you see your copy in the doghouse out back?"

The manager burst out laughing as Jounouchi clenched his fists. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"I thought it was pretty obvious. We left your game in your mailbox."

"Sheesh, Kaiba, you're gonna make me regret gettin' your game."

"I highly doubt that, the way you were praising it earlier last week."

The manager smirked and leaned forward. "So you're the one writing those video game articles for that bookstore downtown?"

Jounouchi smiled cheekily and puffed his chest out. "Yep, that's me!"

"Your articles are really well written given that you aren't in the industry. You should apply for a couple places here in Domino. I know a few friends of mine are looking for video game writers. It seems you know your stuff, with how much video game terminology you used in your article."

"R-Really?! I-I mean, of course!"

"Yeah! Go for it!" Turning to look at Seto, the manager asked, "You'd endorse him, right? I mean, he wrote a pretty awesome article for your game, I thought. And it shut a hell of a lot of people up when all those rumors were spreading around."

Seto smirked. "I would consider it, I suppose..."

Jounouchi sighed. "I guess that's the most I'll eva get outta you, Kaiba."

"You should consider yourself fortunate. Most people don't get to the "consideration" part."

"Tch, then I'm honored."

Seto's smirk widened, and he crossed his arms over his chest. The manager leaned forward, placing his forearms on the counter. "So, Jounouchi, you pre-ordered the game?"

"Absolutely," Jounouchi answered. "Kaiba here might be an ass, but I gotta hand it to 'im; he made a great game. It's honestly kinda hard to believe it's only your first one."

"You planning on making more, Mr. Kaiba?" asked the manager.

"That depends on some things," Seto replied. "We'll see what happens after this game." He glanced up at the crowd and blinked when his eyes caught Anzu's. She smiled and waved lightly over at the group. Seto returned the wave, causing both the manager and Jounouchi to look over. Jounouchi's eyes widened when he saw her.

"Anzu!" he exclaimed. "Hey, what's happenin'?"

"Not much," she answered, approaching the group. "Just blending in with the crowds. Getting a feel for what people are saying about the game."

"They all excited and havin' a good time?" inquired the manager. She smiled and nodded, causing his smile to widen. "That's good. Glad to hear it."

"Are your midnight release parties usually this large?" she asked as she walked around the counter and approached Seto. The manager swiftly shook his head no.

"The biggest we'll get is maybe a hundred people, and last I talked with the security guards, there are over 200 in here right now."

Anzu's eyes widened. "Is that a good thing?"

"That's an excellent situation," Seto answered, gaining her attention. She looked up to see him smiling. "It means those morons who talked poorly about my game might be out of jobs. When all of these video game players go home, play my game, and post, talk, and gossip about it both in the magazines and online, it'll make those idiots who said things without any prior knowledge regret their actions."

Jounouchi's eyes widened. "Wow, you still take some of that stuff seriously, don't you?"

"I'm the CEO of KaibaCorp, mutt," Seto spat. "Whether I like it or not, I have to be concerned with my reputation and how it impacts my company."

"Geez, and here I thought releasing a game would calm you down a bit."

Seto scoffed. "Releasing a game isn't just some fun hobby. Mokuba and I spent years working on this game, and it took the help of everyone in my company to get the game to where it is today."

Anzu pat his shoulder in order to gain his attention and smiled lightly up at him. "Calm down," she whispered. "He didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Hearing him inhale and exhale, she went to say something when Jounouchi leaned forward on the counter.

"By the way, thought you two should know... I saw Yugi the other day."

Anzu's eyes widened. "And...?"

"He's thinking of asking Saka out on a date."

She gasped in surprise. "That's wonderful! Do you think Saka will say yes?"

"I dunno, but he seems a lot happier. He was talkin' to Honda and me the other day 'bout it. It seems they've been hangin' out a lot more than we thought. Honda and I've been wonderin' where he got himself to since he hasn't called in awhile, and to be honest, we were a bit worried he was gettin' crazy ideas in his head again. Fortunately, he was just spendin' time with Saka."

"Good for him. I'm really happy to hear he's doing better."

"Yeah, me too..." Smirking, he leaned forward and lightly punched Seto's shoulder. "Who'da thought you of all people would be rescuin' Yugi and turnin' him around?"

Seto rolled his eyes. "Again, Jounouchi, you give me too little credit."

Anzu frowned. "What do you mean?"

"This moron thought before our interview that I would be rude enough not to offer him lunch. Now he thinks I would just let Yugi walk off a bridge."

Anzu giggled, to the surprise of both of them. "Then you would have been _super_ shocked by him last week," she taunted, looking over at Jounouchi. "He got a kid a video game after watching his mother yell at him."

Jounouchi's jaw dropped, and she burst out laughing when she noticed Seto doing his best to suppress a blush. "Yeah, well... That child's mother was a moron," he muttered.

"Awww, I didn't know you looked out for kids, Kaiba!" Jounouchi exclaimed.

"What about kids?"

Everyone blinked and looked over to see Mokuba approaching the counter. Anzu realized that the manager had left to go to the table and get some food. "Anzu is telling Jounouchi about what happened last week," Seto explained.

"Ah, okay."

"Why?" Jounouchi asked. "What'dya think we were talkin' about?"

"I dunno. That's why I asked." Looking up at his older brother, Mokuba added, "It's almost time, Big Bro."

Seto sighed, causing Anzu to frown. "Time for what?"

"Seto and I are supposed to sit behind the desk over there at eleven," Mokuba explained. "To sign pre-ordered games, merchandise, and what-not. That's what everyone's getting in line for." Glancing over, she saw to her amazement everyone slowly migrating from the game station to the table, forming a single-file line. The manager, with his plate of appetizers, was helping direct everyone to where they needed to be. "It's about ten of, meaning we should take our seats and make sure we have enough pens to last the night."

Noticing Seto's tension, she pat his back to get his attention and winked up at him. "You'll do fine," she whispered. He smirked and leaned down to kiss her lightly on the cheek before walking around the counter to where Mokuba was standing.

"Let's get this over with," he muttered. Mokuba smiled and followed behind, and the two pushed their way through the crowd, leaving Jounouchi behind with Anzu.

"What, don't want a signed copy?" she joked as Jounouchi remained. He turned and waved his hand.

"I deal with Kaiba enough as it is. I don't need to see his signature on my games!" Crossing his arms, he added, "But seriously...he looks kinda nervous to be doin' this."

"I don't think he's used to being with the average video gamer," Anzu explained. "In Duel Monsters, he was so highly-ranked that he couldn't really relate to the rest of the players."

"Yeah, nevermind that huge-ass ego he had back in high school."

Anzu giggled. "Yeah, he's calmed down a bit with that since then."

"He's treatin' you all right, right?"

"Of course. He's very comforting to be around."

"Heh, that's strange. Kaiba bein' comfortin'. But I guess it's whateva. He's still kinda a jerk to me."

"It's very hard for him to trust others. And I hate to say it, but he's kind of right. The fact that he does consider you as someone he would recommend means a lot. He's the CEO of KaibaCorp; such a job really comes with a lot of pressure. You wouldn't imagine how hard he's been working the past two weeks; I keep having to force him to go to sleep. There was always something he felt needed improvement. But that comes with his territory. If something goes wrong, it's ultimately his fault. On the other hand, if something goes well, he reaps the rewards. So for him to reach out and say yes, he would recommend you, I think is his way of saying thanks for the help. His word carries a lot of weight; imagine what employers would think if you said Seto Kaiba would recommend you?"

Jounouchi's eyes widened. Both turned to look at the CEO, who was now sitting behind the desk next to Mokuba. She was happy to see a light smile slowly forming on his face; it seemed he was already enjoying his position behind the desk. Mokuba was messing around with some of the pens, and a few gamers were also drawing on what appeared to be a poster. "Yeah, I guess..." Jounouchi remarked.

Anzu chuckled. "I know..."

* * *

The last of the plates and empty cups were thrown away, and the merchandise was re-established for tomorrow's opening. Sighing, Anzu wiped the sweat from her brow and thought, _"Since when did video games become a physical activity?"_

The clock on the wall read nearly 1:30; the night had flown by. Seto and Mokuba spent from eleven 'til midnight sitting and signing merchandise, talking with the customers and discussing video game strategies. She came over at one point to check if they wanted food and ended up becoming engrossed in their conversation. By the time she went to get food, the gamers were lining up outside, waiting for the game to be released. Midnight struck, and for a full half hour, all 200 gamers marched single-file inside, picked up their game, and came out cheering, rushing towards their vehicles in a desperate attempt at leaving and playing the game ASAP. Then came clean-up time, and it was only now that the video game store looked as it had when they first arrived.

Feeling a pair of hands on her hips, she jerked and glanced back to see Seto smirking down at her. Before she could say anything, he leaned down and planted his lips on hers. She smiled at the sudden warmth and pushed back, shivering when his hands wound the entire way around her waist. He ended the kiss and leaned his head down to rest on her shoulder. "Thank you for being here tonight," he whispered.

"You're welcome. It was a lot of fun."

He glanced over, his eyebrows perked upwards in curiosity. "Oh really?"

"Yeah! I mean, it was cool actually knowing the game that was being released. All the other midnight release parties I've been to, I didn't know what was being released. It made it kind of boring, ya know? I had fun tonight."

He smirked before releasing his grip on her. "We'll leave in just a minute," he stated. "Mokuba's already passed out in the limousine. I just have to double-check something with the manager, then we'll be on our way home."

"Sounds good."

"If you want to go to the limo and take your seat, go for it."

"Okay." She watched him turn and enter the back storage unit. Shrugging, she walked out the front door and saw the long limousine parked out front. Roland opened the door for her, and she carefully slid inside and took her seat. Mokuba was on the opposite side lying dead asleep on the leather seat. Pushing the button to lower the window, she smiled as the late, summer wind blew through her hair. It was starting to get warm outside now that summer was nearly here; she could soon begin planning her workout sessions. _"And with a gym and pool now available, there's no excuse for falling behind."_

The door was opened once more, and she watched as Seto carefully slid onto the seat next to her. The door closed shut, and she smiled over at Seto before letting out a small yawn. Seto smiled and nodded. "I know, I'm tired too." Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he brought her to his chest, where she laid her head down, hearing his heartbeat underneath. She felt him lean back into the seat and glanced up to see his eyes closed.

"Did you have fun?" she asked.

"A little..."

"A little..." she repeated playfully, giggling when he looked down at her with a confused expression. He shrugged and leaned further back into the seat. She felt the limousine come to life underneath them, and soon they were off to return to the Kaiba manor.

"It will be interesting tomorrow to see what the sales are like," he stated, closing his eyes once more.

"I'm sure your game will do well. Everyone in that store seemed really excited about playing it."

"I would hope so. They all pre-ordered it."

"Oh, you know what I mean..."

She giggled once more when she felt him lean down and kiss her cheek. She loved it when he did that. It was all about the little things with him. The little kisses, the little hugs, the little winks. The little smile that he was now showing her. She yawned once more and felt him press her against his chest. Closing her eyes, she listened to his heartbeat and heard him whisper, "We'll just have to see tomorrow."

She nodded and cuddled up next to him. It was only a few more seconds before she fell asleep.


	46. 46 : Final Approval

Chapter 46 : Final Approval

"In other news, the game _Steel Spirit_, the first video game released by the Kaiba brothers, continues selling well two weeks after its initial release," the newscaster, a woman dressed in a red business suit, read from the teleprompter. Seto loosened the black tie around his neck and tossed it onto the nearby sofa, where Anzu was sitting watching television. He leaned down and lightly kissed her cheek before taking a seat next to her. "The game has just dropped to second place on the list of highest-selling games, falling behind Nintendo's newest_ Pokemon_ release. Reviews for the game are still running strong, and it's rumored that the Kaiba brothers will continue working in the video game industry, dropping the former Duel Monsters card craze for good."

Leaning forward, Seto picked up the remote controller and turned the television off. He heard Anzu pout slightly and smirked over at her. "You don't have to watch the news to know what's going on at the company," he remarked.

She chuckled and rolled her eyes at him. "Maybe I wanted to watch something other than your company. The news isn't only your video game, Seto." She stuck her tongue out at him, and he smirked wickedly before hastily pulling her into an embrace. She leaned forward and brought his lips to hers. They tasted slightly of strawberry, Seto noted, and he began devouring them, running his hands up and down her sides. To his surprise, she swiftly backed away and playfully poked his nose. "You ready for tonight?"

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Ready as I'll ever be..." Secretly, he was more than a little uncomfortable at the prospect. Tonight, Anzu's father was coming to visit. It had been his idea, he reflected, but actually meeting his girlfriend's father was entirely different than contemplating it. He had little, if any, idea as to what to expect. And not having a father to look up to made it all the worse.

"You'll be fine," she stated, pushing herself off the sofa and taking his hands into hers. He smiled and stood up next to her, releasing a heavy breath as she wrapped her arms around him. "Just be yourself, m'kay?"

He smirked but shuddered when the doorbell rang. "That should be him..."

Both turned and walked into the main foyer of the manor as Irika swiftly approached and opened the front door. Standing in the doorway was an older man, perhaps in his late forties or early fifties, Seto gauged. He was surprisingly bald and wore thick-rimmed glasses in front of familiar blue eyes. Dressed in a business suit, he smiled at the two, who bowed at his arrival. He bowed slightly in return before holding his hand out. "Mr. Kaiba, I presume?"

Seto nodded and firmly grasped the man's hand, shaking it cordially. "Mr. Mazaki."

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you," Anzu's father greeted. He had a warm smile, and he carefully took off his coat and handed it to Irika before embracing his daughter, who returned the hug warmly. "Anzu, how have you been doing?"

"I'm doing well," she answered, smiling up at her dad. He was only an inch or two taller than her. Seto noted that her bone structure was quite different from her father's and determined it must have been her mother's. His eyes were the same color as hers, however, and he wondered if his hair would be the same color if he had any hair. His eyebrows were too dark to note.

"Please follow me," Irika instructed, gaining their attention. "Dinner shall be served in the dining room."

Seto watched as Anzu led her father through the main foyer and down the hallway to the dining room. His eyes were wide with wonder at the spacious rooms around him, and Seto answered his questions concerning the layout of the manor on their way. Upon entering the dining hall, Seto graciously allowed him to sit at the head of the table, sitting directly across from Anzu. Irika swiftly brought out their cups of tea as well as a large platter of sashimi and sushi. There was also a large plate containing warmed vegetables and a bowl of white rice per person. "This is...you really didn't have to put this together for me, Mr. Kaiba," her father instructed. It was clear he was quite taken aback by the hospitality.

"I-It's nothing," he answered, doing his best to remain calm. He had absolutely no idea what to do. To him, this was just an average dinner. He hadn't thought of Mr. Mazaki's position. Fortunately, Anzu spoke up.

"Seto's a little embarrassed when it comes to guests," Anzu explained. "He just wants to prove that I'm eating well, is all."

"Oh really?" he asked, looking curiously at him. "I'd have thought the CEO of KaibaCorp was good with dealing with other people."

Seto smirked. "I'm good at dealing with competition. This is admittedly the first time I'm meeting with a girlfriend's father, and I'm not quite sure what to expect, to be perfectly frank."

Mr. Mazaki smiled and nodded in understanding. "It is quite understandable. I was told you are an orphan, Mr. Kaiba?"

Seto slowly nodded. "Yes, it's only my brother and myself now."

"Then you have courage for going through this. Although I do greatly appreciate this opportunity. Anzu has told me so much about how you and her have been getting along and living together. It's very kind of you, everything you're doing for her."

Seto smiled. "Compared to all she's done for me, I'd say it's very little."

Her father smiled warmly before glancing around the dining room. "Where is your brother?"

"At a friend's house." He again smiled and nodded. By now, Anzu was beginning to fill her plate with pieces of sushi and sashimi. Seto motioned towards the food and said, "Please, help yourself."

"Thank you, Mr. Kaiba." Seto frowned. He didn't like the formality of it all. Again, Anzu came to his rescue.

"Dad, you can call him 'Seto,'" she instructed before passing the plate of sushi over to him.

"Is that all right with you?" Mr. Mazaki asked, glancing over at him. Seto nodded.

"O-Of course." Taking the platter, he took several pieces and placed them on his plate before handing it over to Mr. Mazaki.

"Then please, call me Takaishi. I'm happy to know someone else doesn't like formalities." Seto immediately released a breath he didn't know he had been holding. The air around the table instantly felt lighter as everyone served themselves food, setting the platters back down in the middle of the table.

"How has work been lately, Dad?" Anzu inquired.

"Oh, it's been the usual. It's soon going to be summer break, so I'm having to prepare their summer assignments. I just completed grading their midterms as well. I'm looking forward to my break."

"How did the students do?"

"Fairly well. I made my test a bit more challenging this year to see what would happen, and a surprising number got Bs and As. Proof that the kids can do the work when asked." He smiled and glanced over at Seto. "Where does your brother go to school?"

"Here in Downtown Domino City," Seto answered.

"And what kind of grades does he get, if I might ask?"

"He gets straight As. He's an excellent student." Smirking, he added, "In fact, he often finds the material to be boring. He's always asking me if he can skip a grade, but I tell him no. I think he'd miss his friends a lot more than he lets on if he moves up a grade. Plus, while I don't discredit the kid, I know a lot of people would see it as me abusing my power. It's just easier this way."

Mr. Mazaki nodded in understanding. "A very thoughtful man, you seem to be. I'm happy my daughter chose wisely."

Seto smiled, realizing what had just been spoken: her father approved of him. He didn't know until now that that was really what this dinner had been about, and hearing her father say such a thing made his heart skip a beat. _"It means I won't have any awkwardness__ with the family in the future, at least with him__."_

"I hear, Seto, that you just recently released a video game with your brother. How is that faring?"

Seto took a bite of sushi before saying, "Quite well, actually. We've already made a profit, and sales are expected to continue through the rest of the month. After the first month, we'll make a projection of where we feel the game will be and move from there."

"Very good. I'm happy to hear it. You were, after all, part of the Duel Monsters world, were you not?"

"I was second to the reigning champion."

Takaishi's eyes widened at this. "Wow... That is quite impressive, Mr. Kaiba." He took a sip of his drink and smiled. "I've learned to appreciate the card and video game craze through my daughter, here. After all, with how many tournaments she participated in and followed, I had to know what it was my daughter was spending her time doing."

"Dad, I never participated in any of the card games," she corrected. "I just kinda tagged along."

He smirked and nodded. "I know. I'm just making fun of your mother's predictions."

Anzu sighed and rolled her eyes. "How has Mom been lately?"

"Oh, her usual self." He glanced over at Seto and asked, "Has she told you the situation with her mother?"

Seto nodded. "At least enough for me to know that it's a touchy subject."

"Yes...touchy might be the best word for it." He took a large bite of sashimi before returning his attention to Anzu. "Anyways, she's about the same. She learned about your recital, unfortunately, as it made the papers. She kept asking if I had known about it. Of course, I pretended I didn't know. She went into a rampage but eventually calmed down."

"Oh geez..."

"No need to worry yourself about her. You told me you're already working on next year's dance routine, and that's all you should be focused on right now." Glancing over at Seto, he smiled and asked, "You don't have a problem with her dancing career, do you, Seto?"

"Of course not!" he exclaimed, causing the father to burst out laughing.

"I was only kidding, Seto. I know you were at her recital, at any rate. I saw you waiting in the front lobby and was rather surprised. I'm happy she has someone else supporting her in her endeavors." Still smiling, he reached forward, patting Seto's hand in a comforting manner. "You make her happy and keep her safe. That's all I ask."

Seto returned the smile and slowly nodded. It was the first time in his life he felt so humble.

* * *

Wiping the last drops of water from his chest, Seto grabbed the nearby silk pajama shirt and pulled it down over his body, covering his torso. He then took the towel and tugged at bits of his hair, pulling out the remaining bits of water. The dinner had gone exceptionally well, all things considered. He felt Takaishi was a good man, and Takaishi admitted to being happy with the relationship. Their talk had covered many subjects, and it seemed Takaishi was pleased by all his answers. _"Kind of strange__ that I, a CEO, was panicking about my girlfriend's father, after everything I've been through. But I guess between my reputation and my lack of experience, I got caught up in the moment."_

Combing his hair, he looked at himself in the mirror and smiled before hanging the towel up on the nearby rack. He then exited the bathroom, and his smile turned to a smirk at the sight before him. Anzu was lying in the center of the bed on her belly, wearing a pair of black yoga pants and loose, dark blue t-shirt. Her eyes were closed.

He cautiously approached the bed and crawled up alongside her. Brushing a few strands of hair away, he chuckled when she playfully growled and opened her eyes. "You interrupted my thinking," she scolded.

He laughed as he lied down next to her. "What were you thinking about?"

"Ideas for the dance next year," she answered. He felt her cuddle up next to him and carefully wrapped his arm around her, bringing her closer.

"What ideas do you have in mind?"

"I got a couple..."

He smirked. "Like...?"

"Well, I have a traditional idea where a woman's lover goes off to war, and in order to express her sorrow, she dances at night. But then her dancing attracts a malicious spirit who attempts to seduce her away from her lover."

Seto's eyes widened. "That seems rather complex for a dance."

She shrugged. "It's not the only one I have. I have a much more modern one, too, and one that would be more humorous than depressing. Two girls are setting up for tea when their family comes in. Their aunt catches wind of their party and tries to interrupt it through all these different fiascos. Each girl would be another member of the family who tried interrupting their tea time."

He smirked. "I could see that being amusing, though I get the feeling your mother inspired that one."

"I don't know, though. I'm still thinking it through."

"Why don't you tell both of them to your group and see which one they prefer?"

"I will, but I have a few others rolling around in my head, as well. I need to write them all down at some point."

He smiled and nodded in understanding. "Your dad...seemed rather pleased by tonight."

She smiled widely and nodded energetically. "Yeah, he was really happy with meeting you. I know he can be a little strange, but he means well. I could tell he was very impressed and grateful for your hospitality."

"I hope so..."

"Seto..." He glanced down to see her smiling up at him. "Thank you so much for today. I mean it. I know it was hard for you, but I'm really happy we did this. It...makes me feel like you really are family, ya know? That this will last..."

His eyes widened, and a soft smile tugged at his lips. "It better last... How else am I going to get free beta testers?"

"Oh, you jerk!" He burst out laughing as she rolled on top of him, playfully punching his arm and shaking his shoulders. He, in response, ran his arms along her sides and began tickling her, causing her to shudder and laugh. She fell back down to the bed as she tried getting away from him, but he was persistent, following her and tickling her sides as he did so. He couldn't help but chuckle at her facial expression. "S-S-Stop!" she panted between laughs. "Stop it! S-Stop!"

"What do you say?" he taunted, smirking deviously down at her.

"Get off, you jerk!"

"Nope, that doesn't sound right." She was gasping for air.

"S-S-Stop it! Stop! It!" Grabbing his hair, she pulled him down into a passionate kiss, causing him to stop his tickling. He felt her warm tongue against his lips and immediately gave in, opening his mouth and lapping her tongue with his own. Her giggles soon became moans, and the warmth and passion of their kiss sent shocks of pleasure throughout his body. He swiftly embraced her and rolled her over, letting her lie on top of him. She leaned forward and continued kissing him, bringing her hands up into his hair, before backing away to inhale a large breath of air.

He smiled at the sight of her flushed face and lifted a hand up to her cheek. "No one can predict the future, Anzu. However... I have a strong feeling that this is going to last."

Her eyes widened at his statement, and her smile widened. Looking into his eyes, she whispered, "I do too, Seto." Giggling, she added, "And yes, I'll definitely help you with your next video game."

Seto chuckled and shook his head. "You know I'm only teasing you..."

"I know."

He smiled and brought her down to kiss her on the lips. Their kiss quickly deepened once more, and this time, neither one wanted to interrupt the passion by speaking. A staple of their relationship. Instead of words, they let actions speak for themselves.

And Seto was damned determined that night to show that he truly loved her.

* * *

_OH MY GOD….WE'RE DONE! This is it! The end! Holy cow!_

_I just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the support shown of this story. I began writing this story in order to get out of a severely depressive episode in my life, and I found your support to be more than what I needed. I'm now recharged to write my novel, and I'm honestly happier than I've been in over five months thanks to writing this fanfiction and hearing the feedback from you all._

_I hope you all sincerely enjoyed this story. If you like my writings and want to keep up with my projects, you can certainly become a member/follower on my blog, the link to which is posted on my profile page here on fanfiction._

_Thanks again from the bottom of my heart for all the support you guys showed this story. It's been a real pleasure._


End file.
